A novel fluorescent probe based on rhodamine hydrazone derivatives bearing a thiophene group for Al³⁺.

In the present work, a novel 5-methyl-thiophene-carbaldehyde-functionalized rhodamine 6G Schiff base (RA) was designed and easily prepared as an Al(3+) fluorescent and colorimetric probe, which could selectively and sensitively detect Al(3+) by showing enhanced fluorescence emission. Meanwhile distinct color variation from colorless to pink also provided 'naked eye' detection of Al(3+), due to the ring spirolactam opening of the rhodamine derivative. Other metal ions (including K(+), Mg(2+), Na(+), Ba(2+), Mn(2+), Cd(2+), Fe(2+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Hg(2+), Co(2+), Li(+), Sr(2+) and Cu(2+)) could only induce limited interference. The detection limit of the fluorescent probe was estimated to be 4.17 × 10(-6) M, the binding constant of the RA-Al(3+) complex was 1.4 × 10(6)  M(-1). Moreover, this fluorescent probe RA possessed high reversibility. As aluminum is a ubiquitous metal in nature and plays vital roles in many biological processes, this chemosensor could be explored for biological study applications.