A Simple Turn-off Schiff Base Fluorescent Sensor for Copper (II) Ion and Its Application in Water Analysis

An aniline-functionalized naphthalene dialdehyde Schiff base fluorescent probe L with aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) characteristics was synthesized via a simple one-step condensation reaction and exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity towards copper(II) ions in aqueous media with a fluorescence “ turn-off ” phenomenon. The detection limit of the probe is 1.64 × 10−8 mol·L−1. Furthermore, according to the results of the UV-vis/fluorescence titrations, Job’s plot method and 1H-NMR titrations, a 1:2 stoichiometry was identified. The binding constant between L and Cu2+ was calculated to be Ka = 1.222 × 103. In addition, the AIEE fluorescent probe L could be applied to detection in real water samples with satisfactory recoveries in the range 99.10–102.90% in lake water and 98.49–102.37% in tap water.