Highly selective and sensitive colorimetric probe for hydrogen sulfide by a copper (II) complex of azo-dye based on chemosensing ensemble approach.

A copper (II) complex of azo-dye (Cu-1) has been synthesized by the reaction of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (1) with copper (II) chloride. The complex Cu-1 is able to selectively sense hydrogen sulfide over other anions followed by the release of compound 1 to give a remarkable change of UV-vis absorption at neutral pH in aqueous solution.