title: Specific colorimetric detection of cyanide triggered by a conformational switch in vitamin B12.
abstract: "Base on"/"base off" coordination of the intramolecular bound benzimidazole nucleobase of vitamin B 12 allows the specific colorimetric detection of millimolar concentrations of cyanide in water. In various competition experiments, it was demonstrated that up to 12 different anions as well as a 1000-fold excess of Cl (-) over CN (-) do no interfere with the sensor. An 8-fold increased sensitivity in the "naked eye" detection of CN (-) was observed when water was replaced by MeOH/H 2O (5%) as a solvent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, Switzerland. zelder@aci.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Zelder
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D003486:Cyanides / Q000032:analysis*; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002712:Chlorides; D003486:Cyanides; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water; C031000:benzimidazole; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D000432:Methanol