A novel colorimetric receptor responding AcO− anions based on an azo derivative in DMSO and DMSO/water solution

A novel and efficient receptor based on the phenylhydrazone derivatives is successfully developed and applied to the acetate anion recognition, indicating that the origin of special preference for acetate (AcO−) anion maybe the structure well matching between the host and the guest. The sensor changes its color so obviously on addition of the acetate ions and that may make the naked-eye recognition in DMSO and even in DMSO/H2O (95/5) solution come true. Also, the anion binding ability determinations were performed by UV–vis titration and 1H NMR titration experiments with different anions in the solutions mentioned. The fluorescence enhancement can also be observed after the host is coordinated with the AcO− anion and excited by light wavelength at 280 nm.