A highly selective naked-eye probe for hypochlorite with the p-methoxyphenol-substituted aniline compound

A highly selective naked-eye detection of ClO− is successfully established with probe 1 by taking advantage of the oxidation transformation of p-methoxyphenol into benzoquinone with ClO− and the ICT absorption within the electron donor–acceptor compound. The color of the solution of probe 1 was changed, obviously upon addition of ClO− and ClO− with concentration as low as 1.74 μM can be analyzed in aqueous solution with probe 1. Moreover, the interferences of other anions can be neglected.