Ferrocenyl-based thioethers and sulphones as optical, and electrochemical sensors for the differential detection of Hg~(2+) and Cu~(2+) ions

摘要

Two highly selective and sensitive ferrocenyl-based thioethers 4a and 4b as no nitrogen atom contained chemosensors were designed and synthesized by using an easy method. The thioethers 4a and 4b have shown excellent selective recognition toward Hg~(2+) through optical and electrochemical signals. The detection limit values can reach 6.93 × 10~(-7) M for 4a-Hg~(2+) and 4.79 × 10~(-7) M for 4b-Hg~(2+) . Moreover, ferrocenyl-based suiphone 5a and 5b which were oxidized through thioethers 4a and 4b have exhibited more selective recognition toward Cu~(2+) and the detection limit values can reach 5.22× 10~(-7) M and 4.97 × 10~(-7) M. It was found that the colour of 5a in solution changed obviously from colourless to green occurred only when Cu~(2+) ion was added to the solution of the ensemble which could be easily detected by the naked eye. The two kinds of chemosensors were not easily affected by the pH values.