Effective switch-on fluorescence sensing of zinc(II) ion by 8-aminoquinolino-β-cyclodextrin/adamantaneacetic acid system in water Original Research Article

A water-soluble 8-aminoquinolino-β-cyclodextrin/1-adamantaneacetic acid (1/ADA) system is prepared in situ and exhibits a unique switch-on fluorescence response to Zn2+ over other common metal ions. Spectrophotometric studies demonstrate that this system can strongly coordinate Zn2+ through a cyclodextrin/substrate/metal triple recognition mode, and the resulting 1/ADA/Zn2+ ternary complex emits the blue-green fluorescence (λ = 490 nm) that can be easily distinguished by eyes in aqueous solution. Significantly, the switch-on fluorescence response of 1/ADA to Zn2+ is barely affected by various metal ions except Cu2+. As a result, this system can behave as an efficient supramolecular fluorescence sensor for Zn2+ in water.