A BODIPY derivative for colorimetric and fluorometric sensing of fluoride ion and its logic gates behavior.

A novel BODIPY-based colorimetric and fluorescent sensor with an attached urea group ( S1 ) has been synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR, and MS analyses. S1 shows high selectivity and sensitivity toward F − ions among several tested anions (Cl − , Br − , I − , OAc − , NO 3 − , HSO 4 − , H 2 PO 4 − , CN − ) in CHCl 3 . Upon addition of F − ions, the maximum absorption band of S1 in CHCl 3 displayed a red shift from 581 to 588 nm. This shift was visually manifested as a color change from pink to blue. When excited at 550 nm, the fluorescent emission intensity of S1 at 608 nm was quenched to over 87% of its initial value. Both a Job's plot and 1 H NMR spectra analysis revealed a 1:1 stoichiometric relationship between S1 and the added F − ions. Moreover, we found that the absorption and fluorescence of the S1 –F − complex was reversible upon addition of HSO 4 − ions. Finally, by using F − and HSO 4 − ions as chemical inputs and the absorbance and fluorescence intensity as outputs, a complementary INHIBIT/IMPLICATION (INH/IMP) logic gate was constructed at the nanoscale level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]