A Highly Selective Colorimetric and Fluorescent Probe for Cu2+ and Hg2+ Ions Based on a Distyryl BODIPY with Two Bis(1,2,3‐triazole)amino Receptors

Abstract

A new distyryl boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) with two bis(1,2,3-triazole)amino substituents has been prepared by typical Knoevenagel condensation followed by click reaction. The compound selectively binds to Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ ions in CH₃CN/H₂O (1:1 v/v) to give remarkably blueshifted electronic absorption and fluorescence bands as a result of inhibition of the intramolecular charge-transfer process upon binding to these metal ions. The color changes can be easily seen by the naked eye. The binding stoichiometry between this probe and Cu²⁺ ions has been determined to be 1:2 by a Job plot of the fluorescence data with a binding constant of ((6.2±0.6)×10⁹) M⁻². The corresponding value for Hg²⁺ ions is about sixfold smaller.