A Pyrazolo Imine‐based Colorimetric and Turn‐on Fluorescent Sensor Probe for Determination of Hg 2+ Ion and its Application in Test Paper Strips

In this work, we synthesized diethylamino substituted pyrazolo imine (3) fluorescent probe for recognition of Hg2+ion.The sensor probe 3 can detect Hg2+ by colorimetric method, and there is a 10-fold enhancement in fluorescence response. When the fluorescent probe bound with Hg2+ ion, turn-on fluorescence was observed via the coordination. Probe 3 has an excellent selectivity toward Hg2+ in the CH3CN/H2O (8:2, v/v) solution with low limit of detection and high binding association constant of 551 parts per billion (ppb) and 6.6067 × 106 m−1 for 3+Hg2+, respectively. Furthermore, the formation of 3+Hg2+ complex with 1:1 binding mode was evidenced by Job's plot, 1H NMR spectroscopy and Mass analysis. In addition, probe 3 is a feasible option to detect Hg2+ in various sources of water samples. Bio-imaging experiments have demonstrated that probe 3 can be used to monitor Hg2+ in Escherichia coli bacterial cell. The sensor 3 was also used for paper strip application to detect Hg2+ ion.