A new azomethine chromogenic receptor, H2L, containing –NH and –OH active sites, has been synthesized and characterized using standard spectroscopic methods (IR, 1H NMR, UV-Vis) as well as elemental analysis. H2L has been used for qualitative and quantitative detection and colorimetric sensing of CN- and AcO- ions in aqueou medium. In the presence of cyanide and acetate ions an obvious change in color was appeared from yellow to orange. As shown in Fig.1, no significant color change was observed upon the addition of other anions such as F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, N3-, SO42- , SO32-, PO43-, H2PO4-, HSO4-, NO2- and NO3-. The anions recognition ability of H2L was also evaluated using UV-Vis absorption and 1H NMR spectroscopy. job plot data showed that the binding stoichiometry’s of H2L with CN- and AcO- were 1:2.
