a Versatile Schiff Base Chemosensor for the Determination of Trace Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn in the Water and Its Bioimaging Applications.

In this work, a simple and versatile Schiff base chemosensor () was developed for the detection of four adjacent row 4 metal ions (Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) through colorimetric or fluorescent analyses. could recognize the target ions in solutions containing a wide range of other cations and anions. The recognition mechanisms were verified with a Job's plot, HR-MS assays, and H NMR titration experiments. Then, was employed to develop colorimetric test strips and TLC plates for Co. Meanwhile, was capable of quantitatively measuring the amount of target ions in tap water and river water samples. Notably, was used for imaging Zn in HepG2 cells, zebrafish, and tumor-bearing mice, which demonstrated its potential biological applications. Therefore, can probably serve as a versatile tool for the detection of the target metal ions in environmental and biological applications.