Patent ID: 8541240

Claim:
A method for detecting fluoride anion (F − ) in a material comprising: contacting the material with a fluoride receptor reagent to form a complex involving anion-π interactions, wherein the fluoride receptor reagent comprises an N-aryl or heteroaryl derivative of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide (NDI) having the formula (I): wherein R 1 comprises a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl moiety; and R 2 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl moiety, or R 2 comprises a second NDI moiety comprising a second NDI unit and having the formula: wherein R 3 is a linking group connecting the second NDI unit to the nitrogen atom of formula (I) and comprising a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl moiety; and R 4 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl moiety, and detecting the presence of fluoride anions as indicated by a colorimetric or fluorometric response.