Synthesis and characterization of N-(4-Aminophenylethynylbenzonitrile)-N′ -(1-naphthoyl)thiourea as single molecular chemosensor for carbon monoxide sensing

This contribution reports on the design, preparation, and characterization of a novel acetylide-thiourea presenting N-(4-Aminophenylethynylbenzonitrile)-N′-(1-naphthoyl)thiourea (AETU) obtained from continuous reaction of intermediate compound 4[(4aminophenyl)ethynyl benzonitrile] (AMEB) with 1-naphthoyl chloride prior to form an active substrate for the detection of carbon monoxide (CO). These compounds were then characterized via several spectroscopic and analytical methods, namely Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C NMR), carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur elemental analysis, and Thermogravimetric analysis. The performance of sensor response toward CO was measured using difference response in spectral features of UV–VIS spectrophotometry in thin-film studies with and without the presence of CO. The findings revealed that AETU possibly has an interaction with CO of concentrations 10, 20 and 30 ppm. In addition, quantum chemical calculations also proved that AETU exhibits potential sense interaction toward CO with stabilization energy−6.30 kJ/mol and interaction distance is about 3.14 Ǻ. This proposed material sensor gives an ideal indication for application in the aspect of direct detection of CO in real sample and for development of single molecule gas sensor devices.