A novel AIE chemosensor based on quinoline functionalized Pillar[5]arene for highly selective and sensitive sequential detection of toxic Hg2+ and CN-

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is widely used for fluorescence on-off-on detection ions and molecular. Herein, we report a novel AIE chemosensor through self-assembly of quinoline functionalized pillar[5]arene (SPQ5). The SPQ5 can bind with Hg2+ tightly through coordinating reaction. By introducing Hg2+ into AIE-based chemosensor, metal-coordinated chemosensor (SPQ5-Hg2+) was obtained, the SPQS-Hg2+ could high selectively and sensitively detection of CN- by competitive coordinating interactions. The LODs of SPQ5 for Hg2+ and CN- are 2.53 x 10(-8) M and 7.71 x 10(-8) M, respectively. In addition, Hg2+ test kit was prepared by loading the SPQ5 chemosensor on a silica gel plate, which could more convenient and efficiency detection Hg2+ and CN-. Interestingly, the chemosensor SPQ5 could instant sense the Hg2+ and CN- by the changing of fluorescence color and fluorescence intensity. Notably, the fluorescence intensity changes of SPQ5 upon the addition of He2+ and CN- were utilized as an IMP logic gate at the molecular level, using Hg2+ and CN- as chemical inputs and the fluorescence intensity signal as the output. On the other hand, the test kit by loading SPQ5 on a silica gel plate was prepared for convenient detection of Hg2+. This study provides a practical application for the sensing of toxic ions in aqueous solution by the construction of supramolecular system.