Cysteine-based fluorescence “turn-on” sensors for Cu2+ and Ag+†
Abstract
We designed and synthesized two metal ion binding molecules 3a and 3b based on cysteine. In 3a, pyrene is used as a fluorescent probe, while 3b contains tryptophan, which acts as a fluorescent probe as well as facilitates metal ion binding. Detailed spectroscopic, calorimetric, microscopic and computational studies revealed the binding mode and the plausible structures of the complexes.