By utilizing a new indirect trick, an old and cheap compound, zincon (2-carboxy-2'-hydroxy-5'-sulfoformazylbenzene), was found to be a "novel" highly sensitive and selective chemosensor for cyanide in pure aqueous solutions, with a detection limit of 0.13 ppm and a color change that could be observed by the naked eye.

A new fluorescent chemosensor based on calix[4]arene bearing four iminoquinoline subunits on the upper rim was conveniently synthesized, which showed a remarkable enhanced fluorescent intensity in the presence of Cu(2+) ion and a high selectivity toward Cu(2+) ion over a wide range of tested metal ions in acetonitrile.

Imidazolium-functionalized squaraine ImSQ8 is synthesized as a sensitive colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor for GTP in aqueous solution. The detection limit of GTP reaches 5.4 ppb. Its applications in the live-cell imaging and enzyme activity assay have also been demonstrated.

A near-infrared chemosensor for palladium based on the Tsuji-Trost reaction was developed. It displayed specific and ratiometric fluorescent responses toward palladium with a distinct color change from green to blue in aqueous media. PEG400 was employed as the reducing agent and palladium ligand instead of water-insoluble triphenylphosphine. The chemosensor's bioimaging potential was demonstrat...

A simple method for tuning the performance characteristics of fluorescent ratiometric sensors based on surface-immobilized monolayers of π-conjugated molecules enabled gradual adjustment of the sensitivity and the analyte detection range of the sensor. This approach has been applied to fine-tune the sensing performance of a prototype ratiometric chemosensor for fluoride ions.

A simple 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde (receptor 1) serves as a selective chemosensor for Al(3+) based on chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF). The receptor 1 exhibited a high association constant with micromolar detection for Al(3+) in EtOH-H(2)O solution.

A simple pyridinium-based tripodal chemosensor, 1, effectively recognizes AMP over ATP and ADP through indicator displacement assay (IDA) technique in water at pH 6.4. The good recognition of 1 is due to the better accommodation of AMP at the core of 1 as well as functional interaction involving hydrogen bonding and charge-charge interaction. The sensor 1 also recognizes intracellular AMP.

A simple Schiff-base receptor 2 was prepared. It exhibits an “off-on-type” mode with high sensitivity in the presence of Al3+. The receptor 2 exhibited a high association constant with submicromolar detection for Al3+ in EtOH–H2O (95:5 v/v) solution. The addition of EDTA quenches the fluorescence of the receptor 2·Al3+ complex offering receptor 2 as a reversible chemosensor.

A new highly selective and sensitive colorimetric chemosensor 1 for Co(2+) was developed. The receptor 1 sensed Co(2+) by changing its color from yellow to orange in aqueous solution. Moreover, 1 could be used as a practical, visible colorimetric test kit for Co(2+).

A chemosensor compound (1) consisting of a central ferrocene with two butylaminomethyl arms showed unexpected facile electrochemical oxidation of the secondary amines in proximity to the ferrocene, which was utilized for electrochemical discrimination of phthalic acid selectively over two other isomers, isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid.