Multifunctional Logic Operations Based Upon Congruent Ion Sensing Appended with a Strategic Molecular Device: Spectroscopic Approach

A multi‐responsive smart molecular system is constructed using a newly synthesized Salen molecule, 1,3‐bis((E)‐2,3,4‐trimethoxy benzylideneamino) propan‐2‐ol (TMBP), to selectively recognize the presence and absence of Cu 2+ ions aided by another selective metal ion, Zn 2+ . The emission efficiency of the non‐emissive probe is selectively and significantly enhanced in presence of Zn 2+ , while the improved emission of probe‐Zn 2+ complex is completely quenched upon interaction with Cu 2+ . Thus, the probe acts as a reporter molecule for the selective detection of Cu 2+ in the co‐presence of Zn 2+ . Comprehensive spectroscopic studies indicate that Zn 2+ ion‐coordination significantly reduces the flexibility of the Schiff base unit and the extent of photoinduced electron transfer which in turn enhance the fluorescence intensity. While Cu 2+ , a d 9 system, induces paramagnetic quenching over the enhanced emission through stable ground‐state complexation and metal‐ligand charge transfer. The spectroscopic results are translated into the designing of a multifunctional smart‐molecular system that could function as YES, NOT, INHIBIT, PASS 0, TRANSFER and NOT TRANSFER logic gates. Finally, a blueprint of a smart molecular device is proposed to present the relay sensing of Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ through logical outputs that would work in‐sync with the spectroscopic results.