Fluorescence sensors for Zn(2+) based on conjugated indole Schiff base

Fluorescent Turn-On Sensing of Zinc(II) and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Using a Pyridoxal-5'-Phosphate Derived Schiff Base

A novel Zn2+ ion and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) selective fluorescence turn-on sensor L was developed by reacting pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) with hydrazine. Sensor L shows significant flurescence enhancement at 476 nm due to the formation of a L-Zn2+ complex in 1:1 binding stoichiometry with the association constant of 3.1⋅104 M- 1. Using L, the concentration of Zn2+ can be detected down to 2.34 µM, and the practical utility of L was validated by quantifying Zn2+ in real water samples. Additionally, the receptor L was applied to mimic the dephosphorylation reaction catalysed by the enzyme ALP and the resulted fluorescence change was monitored to detect the ALP activity.

A fluorescent probe based on a phenylalanine derivative is capable of sequential detection of Zn2+ and Cys/His

A facile and dual fluorescent chemosensor (named 7-IDF) based on a phenylalanine derivative with an indole group was designed and synthesized. 7-IDF can selectively and sensitively detect Zn²⁺ via obvious fluorescence enhancement in an aqueous solution. Remarkably, the 7-IDF-Zn complex with blue luminescence has higher selectivity toward cysteine (Cys) and histidine (His) than for other amino acids. Intriguingly, 7-IDF can also be used as an excellent probe to detect Zn²⁺ in real water samples. Moreover, 7-IDF and 7-IDF-Zn possess excellent biocompatibility and cell permeability, and 7-IDF can consecutively detect Zn²⁺ and Cys/His in Hela cells through fluorescence imaging experiments. This study suggests that the phenylalanine-based chemosensor possesses great potential applications for the sequential detection of Zn²⁺ and Cys/His in biosystems.

Multi-targeted fluorescent probes for detection of Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions based on ESIPT mechanism

With the rapid development of industry, it is pretty critical to detect the heavy metals. Recently, the 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl) benzothiazole derivatives with different numbers of rotatable phenyl m (m = 1,2,3) fluorescent probes HL^m were synthesized. However, the theoretical analysis of the mechanism was still missing. In this work, we have systematically researched the mechanisms of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and the detection of Cu(II), Zn(II) ions for the hydrogen-bond system HL^m though quantum chemistry methods. By bond parameters and the minimum energy pathways analyses, the proton of this system was probed directly transfer without barrier. Bond parameters, real space function at bond critical point, the frontier molecular orbital, electron spectra and orbital interaction diagram were carried to elucidate response to Cu(II), Zn(II) ions. In addition, comparing the Gibbs free energy variation of the complexation reaction between fluorescent probes and ions, it can be proved that the number of rotatable benzene rings affects the response ability of the probe to target ions.

An Indole-Based Fluorescent Chemosensor for Detecting Zn2+ in Aqueous Media and Zebrafish

An indole-based fluorescent chemosensor IH-Sal was synthesized to detect Zn²⁺. IH-Sal displayed a marked fluorescence increment with Zn²⁺. The detection limit (0.41 μM) of IH-Sal for Zn²⁺ was greatly below that suggested by the World Health Organization. IH-Sal can quantify Zn²⁺ in real water samples. More significantly, IH-Sal could determine and depict the presence of Zn²⁺ in zebrafish. The detecting mechanism of IH-Sal toward Zn²⁺ was illustrated by fluorescence and UV–visible spectroscopy, DFT calculations, ¹H NMR titration and ESI mass.

A new half-condensed Schiff base platform: structures and sensing of Zn2+ and H2PO4- ions in an aqueous medium

A newly designed and synthesized half-condensed organic moiety 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-[(2-phenylamino-phenylimino)-methyl]-benzaldehyde (HL') and a Zn₂L₄ complex sequentially detect Zn²⁺ and H₂PO₄^- ions as low as 1.13 nM and1.23 μM, respectively. HL' and a dinuclear Zn(ii) complex of in situ generated L^- in a solution formulated as Zn₂L₄ under investigation were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic studies along with detailed structural analyses by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The selectivity and sensitivity of HL' towards Zn²⁺ ions and of the Zn₂L₄ complex towards H₂PO₄^- ions are based on CHEF and via displacement pathways, respectively. Dual sensing of Zn²⁺ ions and H₂PO₄^-ions in an aqueous medium via "Green-Blue-Green" emission with the reversible transformation of in situ formed HL' to HL was established by detailed electronic absorption and emission spectroscopic studies. This non-cytotoxic probe (HL', i.e. produced HL in solution) and Zn₂L₄ complexes are able to monitor the subcellular distribution changes of Zn²⁺ and H₂PO₄^- ions, respectively, by fluorescence microscopy using the human semen sample.

Phenothiazine-rhodamine-based colorimetric and fluorogenic 'turn-on' sensor for Zn2+ and bioimaging studies in live cells

A phenothiazine-rhodamine (PTRH) fluorescent dyad was synthesized and its ability to selectively sense Zn²⁺ ions in solution and in in vitro cell lines was tested using various techniques. When compared with other competing metal ions, the PTRH probe showed the high selectivity for Zn²⁺ ions that was supported by electronic and emission spectral analyses. The emission band at 528 nm for the PTRH probe indicated the ring closed form of PTRH, as for Zn²⁺ ion binding to PTRH, the λ_em get shift to 608 nm was accompanied by a pale yellow to pink colour (under visible light) and green to pinkish red fluorescence emission (under UV light) due to ring opening of the spirolactam moiety in the PTRH ligand. Spectral overlap of the donor emission band and the absorption band of the ring opened form of the acceptor moiety contributed towards the fluorescence resonance energy transfer ON mechanism for Zn²⁺ ion detection. The PTRH sensor had the lowest detection limit for Zn²⁺ , found to be 2.89 × 10^-8  M. The sensor also demonstrated good sensing application with minimum toxicity for in vitro analyses using HeLa cells.

A new fluorescence turn-on chemosensor for nanomolar detection of Al3+ constructed from a pyridine–pyrazole system

A pyridine–pyrazole based fluorescence turn-on chemosensor provides access to selective detection of Al³⁺ in solution as well as in HepG2 living cells.

Synthesis and biological activities of new bis-indole derivatives via microwave irradiation

Three new series of bis-indole derivatives were synthesized based on p-phenylenediamine (2–4, 5 and 6) and 4,4′-ethylenedianiline moieties (7–9) using facile and efficient condensation of three positional isomeric indole-carboxaldehyde derivatives (1a–c) with bifunctional amines upon microwave irradiation. The symmetric dimeric indole derivatives 2–4 as well as non-symmetric analogues 5 and 6 were obtained by in situ condensation of the respective positional 3-, 2- and 5-isomeric indole-carboxaldehydes with p-phenylenediamine, while compounds 7–9 resulted from respective condensation based on 4,4′-ethylenedianiline. Structures of the obtained compounds were deduced by advanced spectroscopic methods (1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS). In agar diffusion assay, derivative 6 showed moderate antibacterial activity against various Gram positive and negative bacteria, while derivative 7 displayed moderate activity against several Gram positive bacteria. However, in Resazurin assay employing the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1), derivatives 2–9 turned out to be inactive.

A New Sensitive and Selective Off-On Fluorescent Zn2+ Chemosensor Based on 3,3',5,5'-Tetraphenylsubstituted Dipyrromethene

3,3',5,5'-Tetraphenyl-2,2'-dipyrromethene was described as a highly sensitive and selective Off-on fluorescent colorimetric chemosensor for Zn²⁺ based on the chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect. The reaction of dipyrromethene ligand with Zn²⁺ induces the formation of the [ZnL₂] complex, which exhibits the increasing fluorescence in 120 fold compared with ligand in the propanol-1/cyclohexane (1:30) binary mixture. The Zn²⁺ detection limit was 1.4 × 10^-7 М. The UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopic studies demonstrated that the dipyrromethene sensor was highly selective toward Zn²⁺ cations over other metal ions (Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺), excluding Hg²⁺.

A triazole Schiff base-based selective and sensitive fluorescent probe for Zn²⁺: A combined experimental and theoretical study

A triazole-Schiff base, 4-(5-Chloro-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione (HL), exhibits the high selectivity and sensitivity for Zn(2+) in the fluorescence spectrometry over other common metal ions, especially Cd(2+) in DMSO:H2O (1:9, v/v) solution. A 1:1 binding ratio of Zn(2+)/L for the complex has been obtained by Uv-Vis titration experiments and Job's plot with the detection limit of 51 nmol/L. The coordination mode of the complex in solution was further confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations indicate that a chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect occurs in the process of detecting Zn ion.

Water soluble and efficient amino acid Schiff base receptor for reversible fluorescence turn-on detection of Zn²⁺ ions: Quantum chemical calculations and detection of bacteria

An amino acid Schiff base (R) capable of recognizing Zn(2+) ions selectively and sensitively in an aqueous medium was prepared and characterized. Upon addition of Zn(2+) ions, the receptor exhibits fluorescence intensity enhancements (~40 fold) at 460 nm (quantum yield, Φ=0.05 for R and Φ=0.18 for R-Zn(2+)) and can be detected by naked eye under UV light. The receptor can recognize the Zn(2+) (1.04×10(-8) M) selectively for other metal ions in the pH range of 7.5-11. The Zn(2+) chelation with R decreases the loss of energy through non-radiative transition and leads to fluorescence enhancement. The binding mode of the receptor with Zn(2+) was investigated by (1)H NMR titration and further validated by ESI-MS. The elemental color mapping and SEM/EDS analysis were also used to study the binding of R with Zn(2+). Density functional theory calculations were carried out to understand the binding mechanism. The receptor was applied as a microbial sensor for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

A highly selective and sensitive acylhydrazone-based turn-on optical sensor for Al3+

The fluorescence turn-on probing of Al³⁺ in ethanol was realized by the utilization of a type of conjugated acylhydrazone-based compound.