A pyrenyl-appended C-symmetric hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene for selective fluorescence sensing of iodide

A new C3v-symmetric hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene L bearing pyrene moieties as fluorophores has been designed and synthesized. L exhibits a significant fluorescence quenching response to I− even when in the presence of other potentially competing anions. There is a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and the concentration of I− over the range 0–100 μM and the detection limit was calculated to be as low as 164 nM. Ligand L can serve as a fluorescent chemosensor for the highly selective, sensitive, and rapid detection of I−.