A human vision inspired adaptive platform for one-on-multiple recognition

The fluorescence of a coordinative molecule DCM displaying an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect is regulated by several metal ions. These DCM–metal complexes were adopted to recognize different chemicals, including the recognition of triethylenetetramine, thiol-containing amino acids, and H2S upon binding DCM with Zn2+, Ag+, and Pb2+, respectively. This is in analogy to the general mode of human trichromatic color vision.