A new carbazole-based Schiff-base as fluorescent chemosensor for selective detection of Fe3+ and Cu2+.

A new carbazole-based Schiff-base (1) as a multi-functional fluorescent chemosensor was designed, synthesized and characterized, which can selectively recognized Fe(3+) and Cu(2+) ions over a number of other metal ions. Compound 1 could detect Fe(3+) and Cu(2+) by UV-Vis method and fluorescence method. The stoichiometry ratio of 1-Fe(3+) and 1-Cu(2+) are 2:1 and 1:1, respectively, by the method of Job's plot. Moreover, the detection limits were calculated to be 4.23×10(-6) mol/L for Fe(3+) ion and 5.67×10(-6) mol/L for Cu(2+) ion. In the presence of Fe(3+)/Cu(2+) ions, the fluorescence enhancement was attributed to the inhibited C=N isomerization and the obstructed excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of compound 1. At the same time, the interactions of compounds 1 with other ions were also investigated and unobvious UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectral changes were observed. Thus a new kind of chemosensor for Fe(3+)/Cu(2+)with high sensitivity and selectivity was introduced.