Fluorescent molecular probe to detect and differentiate Fe3+from other metal ions

Herein, a novel 5-nitro isophthalate linked bis-triazole as a fluorescent molecular probe, i.e., 5-nitro isophthalic acid bis-(1-phenylcarbamoylmethyl-1H- [1,2,3]triazol-4-ylmethyl) ester was efficiently synthesized by employing CuAAC catalyzed 'Click' reaction. The molecular probe exhibited a fastidious response towards selective and efficient sensing of Fe3+ ions with a binding constant of 3.41×103 M-1 and LOD of 9.18 µM. The molecular probe and its Fe3+ complex were fully characterized by FTIR, 1H & 13C NMR, ESI-MS, and SEM-EDX data. A real-life application of the molecular probe was presented as a paper strip test to detect and differentiate Fe3+ from Fe2+ ions to mitigate their impact on the environment and human health. Molecular docking and DFT results supported the probe's efficacy.