Novel Anthracene-Based Sensor for the Selective Detection of Cyanide Ion Using Relay Recognition, Logic Gate, Real-Sample Analysis and Bioimaging Application

A novel anthracene-based receptor was synthesized via a facile condensation method. The anion-sensing behavior of the receptor was systematically investigated using colorimetric analysis, UV–visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence studies, and binding constant calculations. The synthesized receptor exhibited effective and selective recognition of cyanide (CN−) ions, accompanied by a distinct visual color change from pale yellow to light pink, whereas other tested metal ions produced no appreciable color response. Notably, in the presence of CN− ions, the receptor displayed a pronounced and selective response toward Fe3+ ions, as evidenced by a subsequent color change from light pink to light yellow. Furthermore, the receptor enabled the construction of implication (IMP) and inhibition (INH) logic gates through the selective detection of CN− and Fe3+ ions. The detection limit for CN− ions was determined to be 7.3 × 10−7 M. The practical applicability of the receptor for CN− detection was further demonstrated using sprouted potato samples and optical sensing platforms. In addition, the receptor exhibited excellent sensing performance and was successfully applied for the fluorescence labeling and imaging of CN− ions in living biological cells.