Dual Metal Ion Sensing by an Azo Compound Derived from Thiazolo[3,2-a] Indole: A Selective and Sensitive Approach.

In this study, we report the synthesis and photophysical evaluation of hydrazone 7 and azo 9 compounds of a thiazolo[3,2-a] indole derivative 5; latter synthesized as per our earlier report. Of the two compounds, the azo compound 9 showed exceptional selectivity and sensitivity as a dual sensor for detecting Fe and Cu ions via a turn-off fluorescence mechanism with limit of detection 0.09 µM and 0.14 µM respectively which are much lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guideline, 5.36 µM for Fe and WHO guideline, 31.5 µM for Cu in the drinking water. DFT calculations revealed that both Fe and Cu complexes with compound 9, and possess low HOMO-LUMO gap of 1.63 eV and 2.94 eV respectively. The binding stoichiometry for both metals was determined to be 1:1 by Job's plot. Stern-Volmer plot (plotted after applying correction to emission intensity), which showed a linear pattern, and fluorescence lifetime measurements indicated primarily a static quenching mechanism for both ions. The chemosensor 9 demonstrated exceptional reversibility and restorability in detecting both Fe and Cu, highlighting its potential for practical applications.