Exploration of Twin-Pocket Aldimine Luminophore for Ultrasensitive As3+ Recognition in Industrial Waste Waters and Cytosolic Detection by "Arseno-Selective Azomethine Hydrolysis": A Mutual Experimental and Theoretical Corroboration

A naphthalene-appended luminophore N-((4-((naphthalene-5-ylimino) methyl) phenyl) methylene) naphtha-lene-1-amine (NPN) with multifarious properties is unveiled in the present work. NPN was structurally probed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, CHN analysis, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It exhibited effectual dual-channel detection in the presence of perilous As3+ in a purely aqueous medium. NPN demonstrated the discernible chromogenic detection of As3+ endowed with a 510 ppt detection threshold. Excellent fluorescence performance of NPN was perceived upon interaction with As3+, and the detection phenomenon was rationalized by an unprecedented "arseno-selective azomethine hydrolysis" (ASAH) pathway. This reaction-based approach is well substantiated by combined experimental and theoretical evidence. Particle size investigation exhibited an interruption in the self-aggregation of NPN owing to the ASAH phenomenon. The cytosolic appositeness of the luminophore unveiled its propensity toward As3+ detection in male microspores of Tecoma stans. Furthermore, NPN could undergo the real-time monitoring of As3+ in varying natural water sources with "turn-on" fluorescence. Impressively, the ability of NPN to undergo ultrasensitive As3+ detection by a chemodosimetric approach is hitherto less explored in its congener. The multitudinous and enormous capability of NPN forges it to be a proficient candidate toward the on-site recognition of the toxic pollutant As3+ in industrial waste waters with promising chromofluorogenic responses. This will be beneficial toward divulging new futuristic avenues in the aligned toxic-analyte-detection-based supramolecular domain.