A new half-condensed Schiff base platform: structures and sensing of Zn 2+ and H 2 PO 4 − ions in an aqueous medium

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry Vol. 49; no. 26; pp. 8991 - 9001
• Main Authors: Chakraborty, Sujaya, Lohar, Somenath, Dhara, Koushik, Ghosh, Raktim, Dam, Somasri, Zangrando, Ennio, Chattopadhyay, Pabitra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 07.07.2020
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/D0DT01594F

A newly designed and synthesized half-condensed organic moiety 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-[(2-phenylamino-phenylimino)-methyl]-benzaldehyde ( HL′ ) and a Zn2L4 complex sequentially detect Zn 2+ and H 2 PO 4 − ions as low as 1.13 nM and1.23 μM, respectively. HL′ and a dinuclear Zn( ii ) complex of in situ generated L − in a solution formulated as Zn2L4 under investigation were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic studies along with detailed structural analyses by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The selectivity and sensitivity of HL′ towards Zn 2+ ions and of the Zn2L4 complex towards H 2 PO 4 − ions are based on CHEF and via displacement pathways, respectively. Dual sensing of Zn 2+ ions and H 2 PO 4 − ions in an aqueous medium via “Green-Blue-Green ” emission with the reversible transformation of in situ formed HL′ to HL was established by detailed electronic absorption and emission spectroscopic studies. This non-cytotoxic probe ( HL′ , i.e. produced HL in solution) and Zn2L4 complexes are able to monitor the subcellular distribution changes of Zn 2+ and H 2 PO 4 − ions, respectively, by fluorescence microscopy using the human semen sample.