A BODIPY-based ICT probe for ratiometric and chromo-fluorogenic detection of hazardous oxalyl chloride

[Display omitted] •A novel long wavelength BODIPY-based probe for the detection of oxalyl chloride is developed.•This novel probe exhibited high selectivity and fast response toward oxalyl chloride.•A smartphone application was used for on-site real-time quantification of oxalyl chloride. Herein, a novel long wavelength monostyryl BODIPY derivative (BDZ-1) has been synthesized by rational design and used to detect oxalyl chloride, a highly reactive and harmful chemical to humans and other living organisms, with high sensitivity and selectivity. The purple solution of BDZ-1 changed to pink color immediately upon the addition of oxalyl chloride and the weak red fluorescence changed to strong orange fluorescence simultaneously. In addition, the practicability of BDZ-1 was further explored by using a smartphone application, allowing the sensitive and selective on-site detection of oxalyl chloride.