A new anion receptor bearing phenolic hydroxy group based on 3,5- ditertbutylsalicylaldehyde-p-nitrophenylhydrazone （1） was designed and synthesized. Upon addition of AcO- and F-, the receptor exhibited visible color changes from deep yellow to purple. However, no obvious color changes were observed on addition of the other anions tested （H2PO4-, Cl-, Br-, I-）. The binding properties of the receptor with anions such as AcO and F- were investigated by UV-Vis and fluorescent titrations. The result indicated that the receptor 1 had a higher affinity to AcO- and F- and a 1：1 host-guest complex was formed through H-bond interactions between 1 and anions.
A novel N-（2-hydroxy-5-chlorodibenzophenone）-N＇-[2-hydroxy-5-azophenyl-benzaldehyde]- 1,2-diaminobenzene receptor has been synthesized by simple steps with good yields. The anion recognition properties were studied by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The results showed that the receptor had a higher affinity to F-, AcO-, and H2PO4-, but no evident binding with Cl-, Br-, and l-. Upon addition of the three former anions to the receptors in DMSO, the solution exhibited an obvious color change from colorless to yellow, which could be observed by the naked eye, thus the receptor could act as a fluoride ion sensor even in the presence of other halide ions. The UV-Vis data indicates that a 1：1 stoichiometric complex is formed through hydrogen bonding interactions between receptor and anions.
