A dioxadithiaazacrown ether–BODIPY dyad Hg2+ complex for detection of l-cysteine: fluorescence switching and application to soft material

Abstract

A Hg²⁺ coordinate complex of a 1,4-dioxa-7,13-dithia-10-azacyclopentadecane–BODIPY dyad 1 recognises L-cysteine (cys), selectively, over other amino acids via reversible complexation/decomplexation and show switching of fluorescence upon sequential addition of Hg²⁺ and cys solutions. Further, addition of the dyad to the Hg²⁺ cholate hydrogel is attended by a gel to sol phase transition.