Highly sensitive and selective determination of Hg2+ by using 3-((2-(1H-benzo[ d ]imidazol-2-yl)phenylimino)methyl)benzene-1,2-diol as fluorescent chemosensor and its application in real water sample

Abstract

A new receptor 3-((2-(1H-benzo[d ]imidazol-2-yl)phenylimino)methyl)benzene-1,2-diol (1) was synthesised and developed as a highly selective fluorescent chemosensor for the detection of Hg2þ in semi-aqueous media. The fluorescence of receptor 1 was dramatically and selectively quenched on complexation with Hg2þ ion with the detection limit down to 0.20mM. The developed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of Hg2þ content in water samples. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the mechanistic behaviour behind the binding of Hg2þ with receptor 1.