Highly Selective Fluorescence Detection of Cu2+ in Water by Chiral Dimeric Zn2+ Complexes through Direct Displacement

Fluorescent dinuclear chiral zinc complexes were synthesized in a one-pot method in which the lysine-based Schiff base ligand was generated in situ. This complex acts as a highly sensitive and selective fluorescent ON-OFF probe for Cu2+ in water at physiological pH. Other metal ions such as Hg2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ gave little fluorescence change.