AUTHOR=Deng Zhi Feng , Li Rui , Geng Jie Ting , Zheng Meng , Li Lei Quan , Shi Xin , Ren Wen Qi , Meng Zi Yue , Ji Zhuo Ting , Hua Jing TITLE=Efficient Colorimetric Fluoride Anion Chemosensors With Varied Colors Based on Simple Aminobenzodifuranone Organic Π-Conjugated Dyes JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=8 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2020.00231 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2020.00231 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=

High selectivity and sensitivity detection of fluoride anions (F−) in an organic solution by the naked eye has always been a challenge. In this investigation, a simple compound based on aminobenzodifuranone (ABDF) was designed and synthesized. Deprotonation of the amino moiety caused by F− is responsible for a color change from dark blue to various colors (colorless, yellow, orange, and red) in different common organic solvents due to a blue shift over 200 nm in the UV/Vis spectrum. The color change is quite visible to the naked eye under ambient light. The detection limit for F− can reach a concentration of as low as 5.0 × 10−7 M with high selectivity, even in a solution containing multiple anions.