A single-armed Salamo-type bisoxime H3L has been designed and synthesized firstly.
H3L can be used as a relay–sensor for relay recognition of Zn2+ and Cu2+ with high selectivity and sensitivity.
The complexes behave successive sensing of H+/OH− through fluorescence intensity increasing (ON) and decreasing (OFF).
Two novel Zn2+ and Cu2+ dinuclear complexes have been synthesized and determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.