A simple method for improving the optical properties of a dimetallic coordination fluorescent chemosensor for adenosine triphosphate

The selectivity and sensitivity of Zn₂(9,10-bis(2,2-dipicolylamino)methyl]anthracene)]⁴⁺ (1) were enhanced by eliminating its intrinsic fluorescence with the introduction of pyrocatechol violet. An ensemble (Zn₂(9,10-bis(2,2-dipicolylamino)methyl]anthracene)(pyrocatechol violet)]²⁺) can easily detect less than 1 μM of ATP and can discriminate between ATP and various other anions including adenosine diphosphate (ADP).