A Hydrazone-based Fluorescent turn-off Sensor for Highly Selective and Sensitive Detection of Iron (III) in Aqueous Media
摘要
In this study, we report the design and synthesis of a Schiff-base chemosensor, (E)-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-N’-(1-(thiophen-2-yl)ethylidene)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carbohydrazide (3), obtained by coupling 6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carbohydrazide with thiophene derivatives. The resulting sensor exhibits a highly selective and sensitive turn-off fluorescence response toward Fe³⁺ ions, while showing negligible interference from other competing metal cations. Sensor 3 displays rapid response, remarkable sensitivity, and an impressively low limit of detection (LOD), making it well-suited for trace-level monitoring. Its stability and compatibility in mixed organ aqueous media further enhance its analytical utility. Importantly, real-sample analysis of environmental water sources demonstrated excellent recovery rates, confirming the practical applicability of the sensor. Furthermore, reversibility studies revealed that the Fe³⁺–sensor complex could be regenerated upon EDTA addition, while photostability experiments showed that the fluorescence intensity of sensor 3 remained nearly unchanged under prolonged irradiation. Together, these findings highlight sensor 3 as a highly robust, selective, and reusable chemosensor with strong potential for environmental monitoring of Fe³⁺ ions.