A novel fluorescent molecular logic gate with a 'fluorophore-spacer-receptor-spacer-receptor' format is demonstrated in 1 : 1 (v/v) methanol/water. The molecule consists of an anthracene fluorophore, and tertiary alkyl amine and N-(2-methoxyphenyl)aza-15-crown-5 ether receptors. In the presence of threshold concentrations of H and Na, the molecule switches 'on' as an AND logic gate with a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.21 with proton and sodium binding constants of log β = 9.0 and log β = 3.2, respectively. At higher proton levels, protonation also occurs at the anilinic nitrogen atom ether with a log β = 4.2, which allows for Na, H-enabled OR (OR + AND circuit) and H-driven ternary logic functions. The reported molecule is compared and contrasted to classic anthracene-based Na and H logic gates. We propose that such logic-based molecules could be useful tools for probing the vicinity of Na, H antiporters in biological systems.
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