A thiourea-based chromoionophore for selective binding and sensing of acetate

Highly selective binding and sensing of acetate over various monovalent inorganic anions (MeCO2−≫H2PO4−>Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN−, NO3−, HSO4−, ClO4−) are achieved by N,N′-bis(p-nitrophenyl)thiourea as a hydrogen-bonding chromoionophore in 1% water–99% MeCN (v/v), and acetic acid in vinegar is successfully determined by the complexation-induced chromogenic response of this chromoionophore.