Abstract
Alkylated pyridine chalcone (AIPO) has been synthesized by reaction of 1-allyl-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde with 2-acetyl pyridine. The chalcone structure was characterized by spectral and elemental analysis. The absorption and emission in ten solvents with different polarities were used to calculate the photophysical parameters for this compound. This heterocyclic fluorescent compound serves as a selective probe for recognition of Fe
3+
. A 1:1 bonding stoichiometry between AIPO and Fe
3+
has been detected by Benesi-Hildebrand, Stern-Volmer and Job-plot methods. The binding stoichiometric ratio was further confirmed by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations.