Fluorescence modulation of naphthalene containing salicyl hydrazide-based receptor through aggregation-induced emission enhancement approach: Dual detection of lanthanum and cyanide ions in semi-aqueous medium

Abstract

The sensing activity of naphthalene containing salicyl hydrazide-based fluorescence receptor has been improved through aggregation-induced enhanced emission mechanism approach in semi-aqueous medium. The receptor has been found to be selective toward La3+ with approximately 70-fold fluorescence enhancement due to a combined effect of keto-enol tautomerism inhibition and chelation enhanced fluorescence with a detection limit of 3.91 × 10−6 M. In addition, the receptor is also able to sense CN− with a detection limit of 3.55 × 10−6 M via deprotonation effect, justifying its multiple analyte sensing behaviour. Hence, the current analytical methodology improves the sensing activity of the probe and also provides a greener alternative for La3+ and CN– detection.