Chromofluorogenic sensory probe for ppb level recognition of hazardous F−: Proposition towards Hg2+ mediated logic gate simulator

Abstract Numerous detrimental consequences of high concentration of F− in the environment prompted the scientific community to develop proficient chemosensor for selective recognition of F−. In this perspective, a newly synthesized Schiff-base chemosensor, CPN (2-((2-(4-cyano phenyl)hydrazono)methyl)-4-nitrophenol) is introduced in this work for effectual detection of F−. The probe became straw yellow to bright yellow along with a fluorimetric alteration from non-luminescent to luminescent in presence of F− with the detection limit of 6 ppb. All the sensing phenomena were well substantiated by UV–Vis, Fluorescence, 1H NMR, FTIR and DFT studies. Additionally, the effectual rejuvenation of the probe from sensor-analyte adduct upon addition of Hg2+ can be a convenient imprint for developing logic gate mimicking electronic circuitry, while the CPN coated paper strip can be a real-time solution for recognizing F− instantly.