A multi-addressable diarylethene for the selective detection of Al3+ and the construction of a logic circuit

Abstract

A novel photochromic diarylethene with a naphthalofuran group was designed and synthesized, and its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its multi-addressable properties were investigated using light stimulation and chemical agents. The diarylethene was highly sensitive to Al³⁺ with obvious emission intensity and fluorescent color changes, indicating that it could act as a naked-eye fluorescent sensor for Al³⁺. Furthermore, a combinational logic circuit was constructed with the unimolecular platform using four input signals (In1: UV light; In2: visible light; In3: Al³⁺; In4: DETA) and one output signal (fluorescence intensity at 536 nm).