Preassembly-driven ratiometric sensing of H2PO4- anions in organic and aqueous environments

Gemini surfactant-like receptor R1 is designed and synthesized. The special preassembly phenomenon of R1 in a nonpolar solvent facilitates the novel ratiometric fluorescence sensing of H2PO4- via an anion-induced reassembly process in organic solvents and an anion-induced disassembly process in water.