Development of three ways molecular logic gate based on water soluble phenazine fluorescent 'selective ion' sensor.

New hydrophilic fluorescent selective ion sensor based on phenazine and phthalazine moieties, 1,1'-(phenazine-2,3-diyl)-bis(3-(1,4-dihydroxyphthalazin-6-yl)urea) (1), has been designed, synthesized and characterized. Interestingly, sensor 1 exhibits prominent "turn-on" and "turn-off" fluorogenic signaling at 580 nm towards Fe & AcO and Sr & Cu, respectively. The fluorescence titration experiments shed light on the nature of the interaction between 1 and guest molecules (Fe, Sr, Cu and AcO), which divulge that 1 is flexible enough to orient itself according to the size of the guest molecule.