Design and synthesis of an Eu-based β-diketone-sensor for the detection of Al3+ ions

Abstract

A new β-diketone, 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-3-yl)ethanone (4-TFC), which contains a trifluorinated alkyl group and a rigid chromanone, has been designed and synthesised successfully, and utilized for the synthesis of a new stable Eu3+ ion-based 4-TFC lanthanide complex (1). The central Eu3+ ion is eight-coordinated by two O/N atoms from ancillary ligands and six oxygen atoms provided by three 4-TFC ligands. In particular, the complex (1) can detect Al3+ ions with high selectivity and sensitivity in a moment and can be seen by the naked eye clearly under 365 nm. The experimental data can be explained with the calculated transitions quite well.