Bidirectional photoinduced electron-transfer quenching is observed in 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescent anion sensors.

The synthesis and photophysical evaluations of two new fluorescent photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) anion sensors, 1 and 2, is described. These are based on 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide fluorophores and diarylthiourea anion receptors, connected via a methylene spacer to the imide. The sensing of acetate, phosphate, and fluoride, on all occasions, gave rise to quenching in the fluorescence of 1 and 2, similar to that seen for the structural isomer 3. These results demonstrate that bidirectional PET sensing occurs in such naphthalimide-based anion sensors.