Thermodynamics of Ag(I) Complex Formations with 2-Mercaptoimidazole in Water−Dimethyl Sulfoxide Solvents

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

1.     The title cannot reflect the full information of the manuscript.

2.     “For example, in [1] 2-mercaptoimidazole” I can not understand this list ref in the main text.

3.     I suggest the authors do the DFT to support such results.

4.     Check the typesetting and improve the quality of figures.

1.     The title cannot reflect the full information of the manuscript.

2.     “For example, in [1] 2-mercaptoimidazole” I can not understand this list ref in the main text.

3.     I suggest the authors do the DFT to support such results.

4.     Check the typesetting and improve the quality of figures.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer, Thank you very much for your recommendations, which we took into account when processing the article to improve its quality. We hope that this version of the article will correspond all the necessary requirements for publication in a special issue of the journal. Please see the attachment. Kind regards, Anjuman Sodatdinova

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript investigates the properties of coordination complexes formed between metal iones, especially Ag(I), and organic ligands, such as  2-mercapto-imidazole. The thermodynamics of the complex formation and its changes in terms of Gibbs energy are described considering different solvents. With this fundamental study the authors aimed at evaluating the possibility of applying organic ligand as recognition elements for sensing metal ions. 

Please clarify the following points: 

1) In the first paragraph of the introduction the references should be improved by providing a complete overview of the recent advances in the field. I would suggest to add: J. Mater. Chem. B, 2022,10, 4346-4362 ; Adv. Mater. Technol. 2022, 7, 2100760; Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 441, 2023,129889; Sensors 2020, 20, 6800. The initial focus on sensing strategy is not supported by the data discussion and in the conclusions. 

2)  As a control experiment did you consider testing another ligand? A section dedicated to negative control experiments shoudl be included to further support the data presented. 

3) The chemical structure presented in page 6 should be included as a figure. Please revise carefully the journal guidelines regarding the figures. 

4) Did you consider the influence of the ionic streght on your system? Did you try different concentrations of NaClO4? 

5) In the discussion and in the conclusion section the applicability of these ligands in silver (I) monitoring should be further discussed considering terms which are typical of every analytical strategy, such as reproducibility, sensibility, etc.

 

I suggest avoiding the sentences starting with " In [REFERENCE] verb etc.". 

Please check the spelling. 

When presenting the possibility to use these ligands as recognition elements for the design of sensing strategies for silver (I) please avoid the expression "ligands as sensors". The ligands can be recognition elements or seizing elements in your strategy but a sensor requires also a transducer/readout in this case this expression might be misleading. 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your recommendations, which we took into account when processing the article to improve its quality. We hope that this version of the article will correspond all the necessary requirements for publication in the special issue of the journal.

Please see the attachment.

Kind regards,

Anjuman Sodatdinova

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

I am satified with the revised version of the manuscript, the authors have addressed my comments. 

Typos and long sentences should revised carefully.