A chemo-sensor constructed by nanohybrid of multifarene[3,3] and rGO for serotonin hydrochloride with dual response in both fluorescence and voltammetry

A supramolecular sensor was constructed by the hybridization of reduced graphene oxide with multifarene[3,3] for response to the drug of serotonin hydrochloride in fluorescence and voltammetry. [Display omitted] •A supramolecular sensor was constructed by hybridization of reduced graphene oxide with a novel macrocyclic compound, multifarene[3,3].•The sensor response to serotonin hydrochloride in both fluorescent and electrochemical signals with low limits of detection, good stability and reproducibility.•The sensor was employed to determinate serotonin hydrochloride in human serum to provide good accuracy and precision. Fluorescence and electrochemical response of multifarene[3,3](S) to serotonin hydrochloride and its quantitative measurement by hybridization on the surface of reduced graphene oxide were investigated. The fluorescence titration suggested the formation of host–guest complex in a radio of 1:1, and the moderate association constants of (1.7 ± 0.3) × 104 M (in DMSO) and (2.7 ± 0.2) × 104 M (in water) were obtained by non-linear curve fitting, which implied the supramolecular interaction could be irrelevant to the species of solvents. Furthermore, the hybridization of multifarene[3,3](S) with reduced graphene oxide improved the response to serotonin hydrochloride in both fluorescence and voltammetry, which was employed to realize the quantitative analysis for the drug, and a low limit of detection of 3.9 × 10−7 M was found for determination in the real simple of human serum.