A colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor for Ni2+ based on donor-pi-acceptor charge transfer dye containing 2-cyanomethylene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran acceptor and 4-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)aminobenzene donor.

A new designed colorimetric and fluorescent dye chemosensor was synthesized, characterized and computationally calculated using MO theory calculation, which was based on donor-pi-acceptor electron charge transfer system. This particularly designed dye chemosensor displayed the selective Ni2+ ion chemo-sensing effects in optical properties with absorption and fluorescence emission. This dye chemosensor represented clear absorption spectra changes with Ni2+ ion and the dramatic fluorescence quenching effect with Ni2+ ion was determined. However it showed no significant optical spectra changes upon the addition of other metal ions such as Cd2+, Na2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, except Zn2+.