A fluorescent light-up platform with "AIE + ESIPT" characteristics for multi-target detection both in solution and on paper strip.

We report a fluorescent light-up platform for multi-target detection in aqueous solution and on paper strip. The platform is based on a salicylaldazine fluorogen with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) characteristics, which shows distinct advantages including ease of chemical modifications, free of self-quenching effect, excellent light-up ratio and large Stokes shift. To demonstrate the versatility of the platform, palladium cation and perborate anion, as well as UV light, were selected as the targets. The three representative probes, AIE-Pd, AIE-perborate and AIE-UV, light up specifically in the presence of the target both in aqueous solution and on paper strip. The immediate naked-eye response makes the probes ideal for instrument-free and power-free detection.