Synthesis and spectroscopic investigation of a novel sensitive and selective fluorescent chemosensor for Ag⁺ based on a BINOL–glucose derivative

Based on a versatile 2,2′-binaphthol (BINOL) backbone, a novel BINOL–glucose derivative fluorescent sensor was synthesized using a click reaction. The fluorescence responses of the BINOL–glucose derivative (S,β-D)-1 conclude that it can be used as a specific fluorescent chemical sensor for Ag⁺ in the presence of a large number of competing metal ions without any obvious interference from other metal ions. Mass spectrometric and NMR spectroscopic data were used to study the mechanism, and implied the formation of a 1 + 1 complex between BINOL–glucose 1 and Ag⁺. Both the oxygen atoms of S-BINOL and two nitrogen atoms of triazole were involved in coordinating the silver ion.