Anthracene-Based Highly Selective and Sensitive Fluorescent “<i>Turn-on</i>” Chemodosimeter for Hg²⁺

Three π-extended anthracene-bearing thioacetals (1–3) have been synthesized, and their fluorescence “turn-on” responses to Hg2+ ions are studied. The chemodosimetric fluorescence-sensing behavior and their resulting hydrolysis via a desulfurization reaction mechanism leads to the formation of highly fluorescent respective aldehyde substitutions. Furthermore, this mechanism was supported by increase in the quantum yields of their resulting aldehydes and is correlated to their molecular substitution. The chemosensors 1–3 have exhibited to be promising receptors toward Hg2+ ions in the presence of other competitive metal ions. Moreover, the detection limits of 1–3 have been found to be in the nanomolar range (94, 59, and 235, respectively). Fluorescence microscopic imaging studies show that 1–2 have been found to be effective for fluorescence imaging in live cells. Moreover, compounds 1–3 act as potential candidates for the detection of Hg2+ in environmental and biological systems as well as real samples