by the following formula in particular embodiments the activating group is a sulfonyl group the spacer group is absent and the reactive functional group is an azide in these embodiments the chemosensing agent is represented by the following formula in certain embodiments the chemosensing agent is defined by formula i r 1 and r 2 are independently hydrogen a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group or r 1 and r 2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached forms a 4 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring in certain embodiments r 1 and r 2 are both methyl groups in other embodiments r 1 is a phenyl group and r 2 is hydrogen in certain embodiments the chemosensing agent is one of the compounds shown below in certain embodiments the chemosensing agent is defined by formula ii r 3 is hydrogen a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group r 4 r 8 are independently for each occurrence hydrogen a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group a halogen a hydroxy group a carbonyl group such as a carboxyl alkoxycarbonyl formyl.