One single molecule as a multifunctional fluorescent probe for ratiometric sensing of Fe3+, Cr3+and colorimetric sensing of Cu2+

Abstract

The reagent Rh-C, incorporating a rhodamine moiety and a coumarin backbone and prepared via click chemistry, was developed as the first single molecule for detecting Cu2+, Fe3+and Cr3+. Its response to Cu2+in different solutions is visible to the naked eye and it exhibits a ratiometric fluorescence response to Fe3+in methanol and Cr3+in acetonitrile.