Self-Associated 1,8-Naphthalimide as a Selective Fluorescent Chemosensor for Detection of High pH in Aqueous Solutions and Their Hg(2+) Contamination

A novel diamino triazine based 1,8-naphthalimide (NI-DAT) has been designed and synthesized. Its photophysical properties have been investigated in different solvents and its sensory capability evaluated. The fluorescence emission of NI-DAT is significantly impacted by the solvent polarity due to its inherent intramolecular charge transfer character. Moreover, the fluorescence emission quenched at higher pH as a result of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) from triazine moiety to 1,8-naphthalimide after cleaving hydrogen bonds in the self-associated dimers. Furthermore, the new chemosensor exhibited a good selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg(2+) among all the used various cations and anions in the aqueous solution of ethanol (5:1, v/v, pH = 7.2, Tampon buffer). NI-DAT emission at 540 nm was quenched remarkably only by Hg(2+), even in the presence of other cations or anions as interfering analytes. Job’s plot revealed a 2:1 stoichiometric ratio for NI-DAT/Hg(2+) complex, respectively.