Convenient synthesis and anion recognition properties of N-flurobenzoyl-N′-phenylthioureas in water-containing media

Novel artificial anionic receptors N-flurobenzoyl-N′-phenylthioureas were synthesized by simple steps in good yields. The binding properties for anions of these N-flurobenzoyl-N′-phenylthioureas and 2 N-benzoyl-N′-phenyl thiourea were examined by UV–vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. By fluorination of the benzoyl chromophore, the receptors had higher binding affinity for tested anions than the receptor 2. Especially, we studied the anion binding efficiency of the receptors 1 N-(3-flurobenzoyl)-N′-phenylthiourea and 2 in dimethyl and dimethyl sulfoxide–water binary solutions in detail respectively. In pure dimethyl sulfoxide, the receptors 1 and 2 had higher binding affinity for F− over AcO−. However, as the ratio of water to dimethyl sulfoxide increases, we found the binding properties for tested anions of 1 and 2 changed in dimethyl sulfoxide–water binary solutions. The receptor 1 showed high binding affinity and selective ability for AcO− in dimethyl sulfoxide containing water with varied ratios.