Novel tetra-arm chemosensor supply “collaboration effect” for highly sensitive fluorescent and colorimetric sensing of L-Arg

Abstract Due to the crucial role of l -Arginine (L-Arg) in human metabolism, efficient sensing L-Arg is very important. Herein, to improve the selectivity and sensitivity for recognition L-Arg, we rationally introduced the “collaboration effect” into the design of chemosensor to enhance the host-guest interactions. For this purpose, a novel tetra-arm chemosensor FINH was designed and synthesized. The FINH has four pyridylhydrazone functionalized arms and two hydroxyl groups. Based on the collaboration of these groups, the FINH could high sensitively and selectively detect L-Arg through colorimetric and fluorimetric dual-channel response. The possible recognition mechanism was investigated by experiments and theoretical calculations. The results showed that the FINH could specificity binding L-Arg via the collaboration of the tetra-pyridylhydrazone and two hydroxyl groups through multiple intermolecular hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attractions, the lowest detection limit (LODs) of FINH toward L-Arg is 3.25 × 10−8 M. Furthermore, a convenient L-Arg test tool based on the FINH was prepared, which could efficiently sense L-Arg.