A simple carbazole-based schiff base as fluorescence "off-on" probe for highly selective recognition of cu2+ in aqueous solution

Abstract

A carbazole-based Schiff base CB2 was synthesized and applied as a highly selective and sensitive fluorescent probe for Cu2+ in H2O-DMSO (8/2, v/v, pH = 7.4) solution. CB2 exhibits an excellent selectivity to Cu2+ over other examined metal ions with a prominent fluorescence "turn-on" at 475 nm. CB2 and Cu2+ forms a 1:2 binding ratio complex with detection limit of 9.5 μM. In addition, the Cu2+ recognition process is hardly interfered by other examined metal ions.