A chalcone-based fluorescent chemosensor for detecting Mg and Cd.

SBOD (sodium (E)-2-(3-[5-bromothiophen-2-yl]-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl)-4,6-dichlorophenolate) was designed and synthesized as a chalcone-based fluorescent turn-on chemosensor for Mg and Cd . SBOD selectively detected Mg and Cd through the increase in effective fluorescence. Detection limits of SBOD for Mg and Cd were calculated to be 3.8 μM and 2.9 μM, respectively. The binding modes of SBOD for Mg and Cd were determined to be 1:1 by ESI-MS and Job plot. Association mechanisms for SBOD to Mg and Cd were illustrated by ESI-MS, UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and calculations.