Design of a sensing platform with dual performance for detection of hydrogen peroxide and Fe3+ based on a new fluorescent oligo N-phenylpyrrole derivative

[Display omitted] •A new oligo N-phenylpyrrole (ONPP) derivative synthesized by using a simple method.•Air is used for the oxidation of pyrrole in the presence of Cu(II) as a catalyst.•The ONPP showed fluorescence and selectively quenched by trace amount of Fe3+ ions.•H2O2 determined based on oxidative generation of Fe3+ in the presence of Fe2+ ions. Fe3+ ion and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) have attracted tremendous research interests in the field of analytical chemistry, due to their vast area of use. We report herein the design of fluorescence sensor with dual performance toward detection of H2O2 and Fe3+ utilizing a novel oligo N-phenylpyrrole (ONPP) derivative. ONPP was synthesized using the oxidation of N-phenylpyrrole by Cu2+ as a mild oxidant agent. The fluorescence of ONPP could be selectively quenched by Fe3+ ion, resulting in a recognition platform for Fe3+ ion. The quenching of ONPP emission by Fe3+ was also applied as a strategy for design of a H2O2 fluorescence sensor based on the oxidative generation of Fe3+ by H2O2 in the presence of optimized concentration of Fe2+ ion in solution. The developed fluorescence sensor provides a simple and cost effective approach for detection of Fe3+ and H2O2 traces with linear ranges of 0.2–6.1 and 0.1–0.57μmolL−1 and limits of detection 0.17 and 0.03μmolL−1, respectively. The results of this research will open up new vistas in the synthesis of fluorescent oligomer materials and their application for development of sensitive, simple, low cost and reliable sensing platforms with versatile performance.