A thiourea-based chromoionophore for selective binding and sensing of acetate

Highly selective binding and sensing of acetate over various monovalent inorganic anions (MeCO2- much greater than H2PO4 > Cl-, Br-, I-, SCN-, NO3-, HSO4-, ClO4-) are achieved by N,N ' -bis(p-nitrophenyl)thiourea as a hydrogen-bonding chromoionophore in 1% water-99% MeCN (v/v), and acetic acid in vinegar is successfully determined by the complexation-induced chromogenic response of this chromoionophore. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.