Abstract
The interactions between chemosensor, coumarin derivative (1), and F-, Cl-, Br-, NO3- AcO-, and H2PO4- anions have been theoretically investigated at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level with the BSSE correction. It turned out that the unique selectivity of 1 for F- is ascribed to its ability of deprotonating the amido group of host sensor. The intermolecular proton transfer (IPT) causes the colorimetric signaling of 1 for F-. The deprotonated anion 1(-) is formed for the deprotonation process of chemosensor. The study of substituent effects suggest that both electron-donating (-CH3 and -OCH3,) and electron-withdrawing (-NO2, -CN, and -COCH3) substituted derivatives are expected to be promising candidates for chromogenic fluorescent F- chemosensors, except the electron-donating -N(CH3)(2) substituted derivative does not suit to be a chromogenic F- chemosensor. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.