A review on dual detection of Cu 2+and Ni 2+ions by using single fluorometric and colorimetric organic molecular probes

Exposure to inadequate amounts of Cu 2 + and Ni 2 + ions in living bodies causes destructive effects, including neurological, neurodegenerative, and central nervous system disorders. It was also discovered that copper (II) and nickel (II) complexes have antiproliferative properties against cancer cell lines. In this context, considerable effort has been put into developing single-molecule probes for the dual detection of Cu 2 + and Ni 2 + ions. In this review, we have focused on the development (from 2010 to 2022) of single organic molecular probes for simultaneous and individual recognition of Cu 2 + and Ni 2 + ions in the appropriate solvent with their binding chemistry and changes in absorbance/fluorescence to understand the photophysical characteristics of sensors with metal ions at a glance. The reported sensors are classified according to their detection techniques and chelating units for Cu 2 + and Ni 2 + ions. This review comprises various chelating units, such as imine, triazole, pyridyl amine, imidazole etc. based on optical sensors reported from 2010 to the present. This is the first report that precisely addresses the dual detection of Cu 2 + and Ni 2 + ions. We believe it will facilitate the researcher to develop more effective and potential dual sensors for metal ions in the near future.

Automated summary

Organic molecular probes have been developed for simultaneous detection of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions, based on their binding chemistry and changes in absorbance/fluorescence. This is the first report on the dual detection of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions.