A novel multifunctional fluorescent probe with ESIPT and AIE effects for the detection of Co2+ and HClO†

We developed a novel fluorescent probe featuring excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effects, which displayed dual-channel fluorescence emission. The probe detected both Co²⁺ and HClO with naked eye under daylight as well as through a fluorescence spectrophotometer. The probe exhibited a low detection limit for Co²⁺ at 2.823 μM, while the detection limit for HClO was 11.55 μM. When the probe (10 μM) was mixed with Co²⁺, the fluorescence intensity at 556 nm rapidly decreased within 10 minutes and stabilized after 40 minutes, while for HClO, it took 960 min to observe the same decrease in intensity within 960 min. The probe (10 μM) achieved naked-eye detection of Co²⁺ recognition under daylight; however, achieving naked-eye detection of HClO under daylight necessitated higher concentrations (500 μM). Thus, this probe shows promising potential for environmental monitoring and water quality detection.