A Trinuclear Zinc Coordination Cluster Exhibiting Fluorescence, Colorimetric Sensitivity, and Recycling of Silver Ion and Detection of Cupric Ion

The detection and reusage of transition-metal ions play a crucial role in human health and environmental protection. Recently, various analytical methods and substances have been successfully applied to probe or sense silver ions; however, rare representative examples have been presented regarding the simultaneous detection of silver and silver recycling with the elemental silver powder form. Herein, an unparalleled sensing mechanism for silver ions and recycling silver in its elemental form is exemplified by a fluorescent trinuclear zinc coordination cluster possessing the dual function of colorimetric sensing of silver and responding cupric ions. A Schiff-base-based trinuclear zinc coordination cluster, 1, with formula Zn3(L1)2(CH3COO)2(H2O)2, has been successfully synthesized by the initial exploration of multidentate ligand H2L1-((E)-2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-((2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzy-lidene)amino)phenol) with various metal ions under self-assembly reactions. Complex 1 is highly fluorescent in solution and...