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The article "Pyrene-Phosphonate Conjugate: Aggregation-Induced Enhanced Emission, and Selective Fe3+ Ions Sensing Properties" published in Molecules in 2017 has been retracted due to concerns raised by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) regarding an image and the validity of the findings. An investigation conducted by the Editorial Board and Editorial Office, including input from RMIT, found overlapping elements in Figure 1 and a lack of raw material to verify the presented findings. As a result, the article was retracted in accordance with MDPI's retraction policy and the Committee on Publication Ethics guidelines. The authors agreed to the retraction, while others did not provide a comment on the decision. [Extracted from the article]

A new pyrene-phosphonate colorimetric receptor 1 has been designed and synthesized in a one-step process via amide bond formation between pyrene butyric acid chloride and phosphonate-appended aniline. The pyrene-phosphonate receptor 1 showed aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) properties in water/acetonitrile (ACN) solutions. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization revealed that the aggregates of receptor 1 at 80% water fraction have an average size of ≈142 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis confirmed the formation of spherical aggregates upon solvent evaporation. The sensing properties of receptor 1 were investigated by UV-vis, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, and other optical methods. Among the tested metal ions, receptor 1 is capable of recognizing the Fe3+ ion selectively. The changes in spectral measurements were explained on the basis of complex formation. The composition of receptor 1 and Fe3+ ions was determined by using Job's plot and found to be 1:1. The receptor 1--Fe3+ complex showed a reversible UV-vis response in the presence of EDTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new pyrene-phosphonate colorimetric receptor 1 has been designed and synthesized in a one-step process via amide bond formation between pyrene butyric acid chloride and phosphonate-appended aniline. The pyrene-phosphonate receptor 1 showed aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) properties in water/acetonitrile (ACN) solutions. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization revealed that the aggregates of receptor 1 at 80% water fraction have an average size of ≈142 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis confirmed the formation of spherical aggregates upon solvent evaporation. The sensing properties of receptor 1 were investigated by UV-vis, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, and other optical methods. Among the tested metal ions, receptor 1 is capable of recognizing the Fe 3+ ion selectively. The changes in spectral measurements were explained on the basis of complex formation. The composition of receptor 1 and Fe 3+ ions was determined by using Job's plot and found to be 1:1. The receptor 1 -Fe 3 + complex showed a reversible UV-vis response in the presence of EDTA., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.