A colorimetric and fluorescent cyanide chemosensor based on dicyanovinyl derivatives: utilization of the mechanism of intramolecular charge transfer blocking.

Chemosensor (CS1) was designed and synthesized by simple green chemistry procedure. CS1 exhibited both colorimetric and fluorescence turn-off responses for cyanide (CN(-)) ion in aqueous solution. The probe showed an immediate visible color changes from yellow to colorless and green fluorescence disappearance when CN(-) was added. The mechanism of chemosensor reaction with CN(-) was studied using (1)HH NMR and (13)C NMR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. Moreover, test strips based on the sensor were fabricated, which served as convenient and efficient CN(-) test kits.