Two mesitylene based probes, having catechol/phenol units in conjunction to the Schiff base have been synthesized. The probe with a catechol unit can be used to sense and discriminate between F− and CN− through different colorimetric and fluorimetric responses using DMSO as solvent. However in DMSO
:water (2:1) solution it responds selectively to CN− ion. The probe with a phenol unit is highly selective and sensitive for CN− and can be used for naked eye, semiquantitative sensing of CN− ion in DMSO:water (2:1) solution. The chemodosimetry has been attributed to the acid catalyzed Strecker's reaction of an imine bond and is being reported for the first time in a Schiff's base.
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
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