This critical review is focused on examples reported from 1947 to 2010 related to the design of chromo-fluorogenic chemosensors and reagents for explosives (141 references).

A new selective chromo-fluorogenic probe for Fe³⁺, Cr³⁺ and Al³⁺ is reported. Detection limits are in the μM range and the fluorogenic sensing ability could be observed by the naked eye when illuminated with UV-light. No response is observed with divalent cations.

The ease of production, the extreme toxicity of organophosphorus-containing nerve agents, and their facile use in terrorism attacks underscores the need to develop accurate systems to detect these chemicals. Among different technologies we review here recent advances in the design of chromo-fluorogenic methods for the specific detection of nerve agents. Optical sensing (especially colorimetric detection) requires usually low-cost and widely used instrumentation and offers the possibility of so-called “naked eye detection”. Recent reported examples suggest that the application of chromo-fluorogenic supramolecular concepts for the chromogenic or fluorogenic sensing of nerve agents might be an area of increasing interest that would allow developing systems able to overcome some of the limitations shown by classical analytical methods.

A new chromogenic protocol for the selective detection of nerve agent mimics is reported.