A Simple Fluorescence Probe Based on Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) Property for the Detection of Mg2+ Ions

A simple aggregation-induced emission-based fluorescence probe (1) for Mg2+ was synthesized by condensation of benzene-1, 2-diamine with 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, This compound shows favourable character of the AIE-active molecules. More importantly, after addition of Mg2+ to probe (1) in acetonitrile, the solution changed from colorless to yellow colour solution under ultraviolet (UV) radiation obtained from hand-held UV lamp, this finding suggested that probe (1) can be used to detect Mg2+ by colorimetric detection. Detection limit can reach 2.31 x 10(-5) M-1. The practical value of the selective and sensitive fluorescence indicators was confirmed by its application to detection of magnesium ion in acetonitrile.