Advances on chromo-fluorogenic sensing of copper(II) with Schiff bases

Cu2+ is an important essential trace metal ion and know to play numerous roles in biological systems. The deficiency and excess accumulation of Cu2+ in the human body can cause serious diseases. Therefore, different analytical techniques are developed for the detection of Cu2+ in various environmental, biological and industrial samples. The optical chemosensors based on UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic methods to detect Cu2+ are gaining wide interest due to their low-cost, simplicity, sensitivity and visual response for on-site detection. In designing chemosensors, Schiff bases are extensively explored owing to their facile synthesis, easy structural modification, unique optical and coordinative behaviour. This review compiled more than 114 Schiff bases that can be easily synthesized and provide detectable chromogenic and/or fluorogenic to sense Cu2+. Various analytical parameters, sensing mechanisms, sensing media, structure, chromo-fluorogenic parameters and applications of the summarized sensors are reviewed and discussed.

Automated summary

Cu2+ is an important trace metal ion that plays numerous roles in biological systems. Deficiency or excessive accumulation of Cu2+ in the human body can lead to serious diseases. Various analytical techniques, particularly optical chemosensors based on UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, are developed for the detection of Cu2+ in different samples. This review presents a compilation of more than 114 Schiff bases that can be easily synthesized and used as chromogenic and/or fluorogenic sensors for Cu2+ detection.