Dual in vitro and in silico analysis of thiacalix[4]arene dinaphthalene sulfonate for the sensing of 4-nitrotoluene and 2,3-dinitrotoluene

A new fluorescent thiacalix[4]arene dinaphthalene sulfonate (TCDNS) was synthesized by a reaction of thiacalix[4]arene with naphthalene sulfonyl chloride. TCDNS was characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and ESI-MS spectrometric analyses. The selectivity of fluoroionophore was analyzed for 4-nitrotoluene (4-NT) and 2,3-dinitrotoluene (2,3-DNT) among various nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) using the spectrofluorimetric technique. 4-NT and 2,3-DNT behave as the strong emission quenchers for TCDNS. The information about the complexation of TCDNS with 4-NT and 2,3-DNT was revealed by ESI-MS and 1H NMR analysis. A standard addition method was used for the detection of 4-NT and 2,3-DNT in a water sample. The complex formation in the cases of TCDNS superset of 4-NT and TCDNS superset of 2,3-DNT has been demonstrated by molecular docking and dynamics simulation techniques.