Highly selective and sensitive phosphane sulfide derivative for the detection of Hg2+ in an organoaqueous medium.

A new fluorescent molecular sensor for Hg2+ based on the phosphane sulfide derivative exhibits a very low detection limit in an aqueous medium (3.8 nM) with a very high selectivity over other interfering cations. The reversibility of the complexation process was also examined and was found to be successful. [structure: see text]