Fluorescent chemosensors based on cyclohexane: selective sensing of succinate and malonate versus their longer or shorter homologues

The sensing properties towards aliphatic α,ω-dicarboxylates of five cyclohexane-based ligands are described. The studied ligands have been designed following the binding site-signalling unit approach and they all possess thiourea groups as recognition moieties. Ligands 1 and 3 containing naphthalene units can be used as fluorescent sensors as they form intra- or intermolecular excimers in the presence of appropriate dicarboxylates. Selective sensing of succinate and malonate versus their longer or shorter homologues has been observed.