The amidine based colorimetric sensor for Fe(3+), Fe (2+), and Cu (2+) in aqueous medium.

An amidine based chemosensor AM-1 was synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic (FT-IR, (1)H-NMR and mass) data and elemental analyses. Sensor AM-1 exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity towards Fe(3+), Fe(2+) and Cu(2+) in the presence of other surveyed ions (such as Sr(2+), Cr(3+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Zn(2+), Ag(+), Al(3+), Ba(2+), Ca(2+), Cd(2+), Cs(+), Hg(2+), K(+), Li(+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), Na(+) and Pb(2+)) with a distinct naked-eye detectable color change and a shift in the absorption band. Moreover, the emission of AM-1 was quenched selectively only in the presence of Fe(3+).