A novel fluorescent probe for the detection of oxalyl chloride in air†

Oxalyl chloride is widely used in industry. Due to its high toxicity, it can pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a convenient and reliable detection method. Herein, we report a novel ratiometric fluorescent probe for detecting oxalyl chloride. The fluorescence of the probe solution changes from red to yellow after O-formylation of the probe with oxalyl chloride, and the probe has a low detection limit, good selectivity, and short response time. Finally, a portable test strip based on the probe was prepared and successfully combined with a smartphone to detect oxalyl chloride in air.