Two triphenylmethane based chemodosimeters for selective and
chromogenic sensing of cyanide anions in aqueous environments
and of hydrogen cyanide in gas phase were prepared and studied.
Cyanide anions are considered extremely hazardous for physiological
systems. Intoxication can happen by swallowing or
absorption through the skin. The toxicity mechanism is related
to their binding to the active site of cytochrome oxidase and the
subsequent inhibition of the mitochondrial electron-transport
chain.1 However, cyanide is commonly used in the synthetic
production of certain fibers and herbicides, in the petrochemical
and gold mining industries, in photography, in jewelry making
and in steel manufacturing. On the other hand, the gaseous
form of cyanide (hydrogen cyanide) is also of concern. In fact
HCN is categorized as a chemical warfare agent under the class
of blood agents (AC) and it was used in the Second WorldWar as
a weapon of mass destruction under the name of Zyklon B. Even
at present its ease of preparation and acute toxicity make this
product potentially dangerous as a terrorist weapon.2
Detection of cyanide in liquid samples has been achieved by
means of several methods. These include using electrochemical
sensors,3 polymers,4 gold nanoparticles,5 CdSe quantum dots,6
systems based on metal ion coordination,7 and organic fluorogenic
and chromogenic probes.8 Among these, colorimetric chemosensors
are of special interest because of their relatively low cost,
selectivity and the possibility of ‘‘naked-eye’’ detection, without the
use of expensive non-portable devices. Nevertheless, it is apparent
from the literature that many reported chromogenic chemosensors