Fluorescence turn-on detection of uric acid by a water-stable metal–organic nanotube with high selectivity and sensitivity

Herein we provide a new strategy for fluorescence detection of uric acid (UA) using a metal–organic nanotube of CD-MONT-2 for the first time. This novel fluorescent probe exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity for UA with a very good detection limit of 4.3 μM. The results of density functional theory calculations and 1H NMR spectra show that the turn-on sensing mechanism arises from the host–guest interactions of capsule-like CD-MONT-2 with UA to result in electron transfer between UA and CD-MONT-2′. Furthermore, CD-MONT-2′ exhibits very fast adsorption of UA molecules in aqueous solution as confirmed by UV-Vis spectra and HPLC analysis, making it a potential candidate for application in the removal of UA from the human blood.