A facile colorimetric and fluorescent cyanide chemosensor: utilization of the nucleophilic addition induced by resonance-assisted hydrogen bond

Abstract A chemosensor (CS) was designed and synthesized by simple method. Dual-channel instant detection of CN − was achieved under acidic conditions. It showed an immediate visible color change from yellow to colorless and blue fluorescence appearance when CN − was added. Colorimetric and fluorometric methods showed the detection limits of CN − were 3.9×10 −8 and 3.1×10 −9  M, respectively. The mechanism of chemosensor reactions with CN − ion was examined using 1 H NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. Test strips, which served as convenient and efficient CN − test kits, were fabricated based on the sensor.