Pyrene based selective–ratiometric fluorescent sensing of zinc and pyrophosphate ions

Abstract

A simple pyrene-based receptor has been synthesized. It shows a colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent detection of zinc in aqueous solution. The ratiometric fluorescent change has been accounted to the conformational change of the probe. The ratiometric fluorescence change has been further supported by DFT/TDDFT calculations. The PDP-1 + Zn²⁺ complex is also further successfully utilized for ratiometric fluorescence detection of pyrophosphate anions in buffered aqueous solution. The applicability of these probes for real sample analysis for the detection of Zn(II) and pyrophosphate ions has been also studied.