Fluoride Ion Selective Multihydroxylated Anthracene Derivatives.

A one-pot synthesis of catechol-incorporated anthracene derivatives and their structure-property correlations are reported. 9-Anthracenecarboxaldehyde was reacted with three different hydroxybenzene derivatives in the presence of an acid catalyst to prepare three target molecules. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed, and regioselectivity was explained using DFT calculations. Fully characterized molecules showed a selective response to the fluoride anions in the solution in the presence of chloride and bromide ions. Such readily accessible, highly fluorescent functional molecules are needed for the fabrication of sensors for different pollutants in water.