Efficient discovery of fluorescent chemosensors based on a biarylpyridine scaffold.

The discovery of several fluorescent chemosensors for Hg(II) and Ag(I) in mixed aqueous solution is reported. The ease with which these fluorionophores were prepared from a common core underscores the utility of conformational restriction as a signaling mechanism. In addition, for the first time, significant changes were observed in biarylpyridine emission wavelength, allowing ratiometric detection of Hg(II) and Ag(I). Finally, on the basis of computational analyses, beneficial structural modifications were predicted for the next generation of chemosensors.