A novel silicon-oxygen aurone derivative assisted by graphene oxide as fluorescence chemosensor for fluoride anions

A novel silicon-oxygen aurone derivative TBDPSA was synthesized and used for the detection of fluoride anions in aqueous solution based on a specifically F−-triggered silicon-oxygen cleavage. Even though the compound has shown high selectivity, obvious absorption and fluorescence response for fluoride anions in aqueous solution, but it also is suffered from many limits, such as low detection sensitivity and long response time. Here the compound was successfully assembled on the graphene oxide (GO) surface by π-π stacking. GO improves recognition sensitivity and shortens response time of TBDPSA for fluoride anions by taking advantage of the nanocarrier GO. Compared with TBDPSA, the response time of GO/TBDPSA is shortened greatly from 1 h to < 5 s and the detection limit is lowered about four times with fluorescence as detected signal. Generally speaking, GO is an excellent promoter for accelerate recognition.