[1]Xinxiang Medical College, Department of Chemistry,Xinxiang,China
[2]Fudan University, Department of Chemistry,Shanghai,China
[3]Yangzhou University, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,Yangzhou,China
[4]Xinxiang Medical College, School of Pharmacy,Xinxiang,China
[5]Nankai University, College of Chemistry,Tianjin,China
A series of new sensors (1, 2, 3 and 4) bearing aromatic hydroxyl group shows the strongest binding ability for AcO - by UV-vis, fluorescence, 1H NMR titrations and theoretical investigation. The sensitivity for AcO - can be tuned by electron push-pull properties of the substituents on the aromatic ortho position of the sensor. Especially, sensor 4 containing nitro group shows the best sensitivity. The excellent sensitivity of 4 for AcO - is attributed to the structure match of host-guest. In addition, the interacted process of host-guest accompanies color changes and can be used as new colorimetric chemosensors. Real life experimental result indicates that sensor 4 can be used to qualitatively detect the fluoride in toothpaste. ? 2012 Bentham Science Publishers.