Solvent-dependent selective fluorescence sensor for Zn2+ and Al3+ based on a new diarylethene with a salicylal schiff base group

A novel photochromic diarylethene with a salicylidene Schiff base group was synthesized and its multi controllable fluorescence switching properties induced by light, base, and metal ions were investigated. The diarylethene displayed sequence-dependent responses through efficient interaction of the salicylidene Schiff base group with base and metal ions, and it could serve as a naked-eye chemosensor for highly selective detection of different metal ions in different solvents. When triggered by Zn2+ in acetonitrile, its fluorescence was enhanced by 400 fold with a concomitant color change from dark to bright yellow. In contrast, when it bound to Al3+ in methanol, its fluorescence was enhanced by 110-fold accompanied with a color change from dark to bright cyan. On the basis of its light-, base-, and metal responsive fluorescence behaviors, two complicated logic gates were constructed using the fluorescence intensity as output and combinational stimuli of light and chemical species as inputs. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.