A novel meso-tetracyclohexylcalix[4]pyrrole-based boradiazaindacene dye 3 was synthesized and characterized. F--binding properties of the dye in the presence of tetrabutylammonium (TBA+), tetraethylammonium (TEA+), and tetramethylammonium (TMA+) counter ions were investigated by UV-Vis, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies. Dye 3 displayed various degrees of absorption red shift, fluorescence quenching, and downfield shifts of NH signals for the three fluoride salts. The association constants of these salts mainly depend on cation size effects and ion-pairing effects and were in the order KTMA+ > KTEA+ > KTBA+. Thus, we speculate that both F- and tetraalkylammonium cations are concomitantly located above and below a bowl-shaped calix[4]pyrrole cup in an ion-paired complex, respectively.

A novel Fe3+-selective and turn-on fluorescent probe 1 incorporating a rhodamine fluorophore and quinoline subunit was synthesized. Probe 1 displayed high selectivity for Fe3+ in CH3CN–H2O (95:5 v/v) in the presence of other relevant metal cations. Interaction with Fe3+ in 1:1 stoichiometry could trigger a significant fluorescence enhancement due to the formation of the ring-open form. The fluorescent response images were investigated by a novel Euclidean distance method based on red, green, and blue values. A linear relationship was observed between fluorescence intensity changes and Fe3+ concentrations from 7.3 × 10−7 to 3.6 × 10−5 mol L−1.

A novel BODIPY-based anion sensor 1 bearing di-tert-butyl phenol unit was designed and prepared. In the presence of three basic anions F-, AcO- or H2PO4-, 1 exhibited two novel partially overlapped red-shift absorption bands at 718 nm and 757 nm, respectively. The formation of allotropie structures, after deprotonation of phenol OH, is responsible for these two emerging bands. Fluorescence quenching was also observed due to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) from phenolate to BODIPY core. As results revealed, the anion affinity mainly depended on the acidity of binding site OH and the basicity of the target anion. Moreover, two bulky tert-butyl groups cannot effectively exclude the approach of large anions to phenol OH, but can facilitate the formation of allotropic resonance structures.