Thiazole sulfonamide based ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor with a large spectral shift for zinc sensing

2,3-Diaryl-1,1,4,4-tetracyanobutadienes as colorimetric sensors for hydrogen sulfide ion in aqueous media

Two derivatives of tetracyanobutadienes are synthesized and used as colorimetric ion sensors in aqueous media. The key synthetic step involve a [2+2]-cycloaddition/retro-cycloaddition between electron-rich diaryl ethyne and the electron-deficient tetracyanoethene. The compound bearing two sulfonamide groups shows a good selectivity towards hydrogen sulfide ion with a detection limit of 15.5 μM. The use of this sensor for the quantitative analysis of hydrogen sulfide ion in real water samples is successfully demonstrated.

A Practical Hydrazine-Carbothioamide-Based Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Zn2+: Applications to Paper Strip, Zebrafish and Water Samples

A practical hydrazine-carbothioamide-based fluorescent chemosensor TCC (N-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(thiophene-2-carbonyl)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) was applied for Zn2+ detection. TCC exhibited selective fluorescence emission for Zn2+ and did not show any interference with other metal ions. In particular, TCC was utilized for the detection of Zn2+ in paper strips, zebrafish and real water samples. TCC could detect Zn2+ down to 0.39 μM in the solution phase and 51.13 μM in zebrafish. The association ratio between TCC and Zn2+ was determined to be 2:1 by ESI-mass and Job plot. The sensing mechanism of TCC for Zn2+ was illustrated to be a chelation-enhanced fluorescence process through spectroscopic experiments and theoretical calculations.

A chalcone-based fluorescent chemosensor for detecting Mg2+ and Cd2

SBOD (sodium (E)-2-(3-[5-bromothiophen-2-yl]-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl)-4,6-dichlorophenolate) was designed and synthesized as a chalcone-based fluorescent turn-on chemosensor for Mg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ . SBOD selectively detected Mg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ through the increase in effective fluorescence. Detection limits of SBOD for Mg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were calculated to be 3.8 μM and 2.9 μM, respectively. The binding modes of SBOD for Mg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were determined to be 1:1 by ESI-MS and Job plot. Association mechanisms for SBOD to Mg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were illustrated by ESI-MS, UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and calculations.

Preparation of a new fluorescence nanochemosensor for Sn(II) ions by a modified nanoprecipitation method

A new dialdehyde was designed and synthesized containing naphthalene groups, and then its macrocycle was prepared with 1,4-diaminobuthan. A modified nanoprecipitation method has been reported for the preparation of the nanoparticles. In this method, to obtain nanoparticles with small particle sizes, the nucleation rate was increased with decreasing of the mixing time. The organic nanoparticles were used for turn-off fluorescence response of low concentration of Sn²⁺ ions over cations such as Cs⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Ba²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺, Pb^2+, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ag⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ and ions in aqueous buffer solution. The limit of detection was 5.4 nM.

Theoretical investigation on the ESIPT mechanism and fluorescent sensing mechanism of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl) thiazole-4-carboxaldeyde in methanol

2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl) thiazole-4-carboxaldeyde (aldehyde 1) and hemiacetal 2 were selected to study the mechanism of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer and the detecting of Al³⁺ ion in methanol by using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. Our theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental values. The intramolecular H-bond is enhanced in the first excited-state based on the analyses of structural parameters, frontier molecular orbitals and electronic spectra. The stronger intramolecular H-bond is more favorable for ESIPT process. In order to further demonstrate the proton transfer process, we constructed the potential energy curves of probe 1 and 2 in both ground- and excited-states, and concluded that proton transfer processes in probe 1 and 2 are apt to happen in the S₁ state. In addition, the Mayer bond order, energy gap and absorption and fluorescence spectra were applied to interpret the process of detection of Al³⁺ ion.

A potential naphthyl-thiazole-based organic dye and a ditopic chromogenic probe for CN− and Fe3+ with molecular logic functions

Dye sensitizers are entities designed primarily to serve the function of harvesting light photons in the functional wavelength, which is centered on charge transfer mechanisms.

Sensing of zinc ions and sulfide using a highly practical and water-soluble fluorescent sensor: applications in test kits and zebrafish

A practical fluorescent sensor was synthesized for recognition of Zn²⁺ and S²⁻ and applied in various applications such as in live zebrafish.

A multiple target chemosensor for the sequential fluorescence detection of Zn2+ and S2− and the colorimetric detection of Fe3+/2+ in aqueous media and living cells

A novel multiple target sensor DHIC was developed for the fluorescence detection of Zn²⁺ and S²⁻ and colorimetric detection of Fe^3+/2+. Moreover, DHIC could image sequentially Zn²⁺ and S²⁻ in living cells.

Trithiazolyl-1,3,5-triazines bearing decyloxybenzene moieties: synthesis, photophysical and electrochemical properties, and self-assembly behavior

We synthesized the first members of trithiazolyl-1,3,5-triazines that combine attractive photophysical and self-assembling properties.

Fluorescence sensor for sequential detection of zinc and phosphate ions

A new, highly selective turn-on fluorescent chemosensor based on 2-(2'-tosylamidophenyl)thiazole (1) for the detection of zinc and phosphate ions in ethanol was synthesized and characterized. Sensor 1 showed a high selectivity for zinc compared to other cations and sequentially detected hydrogen pyrophosphate and hydrogen phosphate. The fluorescence mechanism can be explained by two different mechanisms: (i) the inhibition of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and (ii) chelation-induced enhanced fluorescence by binding with Zn(2+). The sequential detection of phosphate anions was achieved by the quenching and subsequent revival of ESIPT.

N-(3-Imidazolyl)propyl dansylamide as a selective Hg(2+) sensor in aqueous media through electron transfer

N-Imidazolylpropyl dansylamide 1 was synthesized for the sensing of metal ions and found to be selective and sensitive toward Hg(2+) ions in a PBS-EtOH (1:4, pH=7.4) solution. The sensing ability of probe 1 was examined by UV-Vis, fluorescence, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The sensing of Hg(2+) exhibited a quenching of emission band at λmax=515 nm of probe 1, which was associated with quenching of green fluorescence emission under 365 nm illumination. Probe 1 showed a good association constant with Hg(2+) (Ka=6.48×10(4) M(-1)) with a stoichiometry of 1:1 in PBS-EtOH (1:4, pH=7.4) having the lowest detection limit of 1 μM for Hg(2+); on the other hand, probe 2, which has no imidazole moiety, was not able to detect any metal ion. In the case of probe 1, electrons on the imidazole nitrogen are available for electron transfer (ET), which was responsible for its green emission band that was quenched on addition of Hg(2+); this clearly indicates that these electrons were used for the formation of a coordinate bond with Hg(2+) and that ET was switched off.

Two and three input molecular logic operations mediated by a novel azo-azomethine based chromogenic probe through intramolecular charge transfer processes

A novel azo-azomethine based chromogenic receptor has been successfully designed and synthesized for the construction of multifunctional molecular logic circuits.

Imine modified ZnO nanoparticles: a luminescent chemodosimeter for Al3+ and S2− ions based on ligand displacement reaction

A novel fluorescent chemosensor for rapid recognition of Al³⁺ and S²⁻ ions using imine capped ZnO nanoparticles in aqueous media.

A new ditopic ratiometric receptor for detecting zinc and fluoride ions in living cells

The synthesis, characterization and ion binding properties of a new ditopic ratiometric receptor (1), based on 2-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenol and crown ether moieties, have been described. The ditopic ratiometric receptor has been studied in sensing both F(-) and Zn(2+) ions, exhibiting different fluorescent colour changes from cyan green to blue/black observable by the naked eye under UV-light. The addition of Zn(2+) to the solution of 1 induced the formation of a 2 : 2 ligand-metal complex 1-Zn(2+), which displays a remarkable blue shift of the emission maxima of 1 from 455 nm to 400 nm due to the inhibition of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism. The sensing processes were monitored by fluorescence/absorption titrations, and further confirmed by Job's plot and (1)H NMR titrations. The crystal structure of 1-Zn(2+) reveals that 1 binds Zn(2+) in four-coordinated modes. Furthermore, 1 is cell permeable and may be applied to detect trace Zn(2+) and F(-) during the development of a living organism.

Carbazole incorporated ratiometric chemosensor for Zn2+

An electron donating carbazole incorporated thiazole (3) based Zn(2+) selective intrinsic chemosensor has been synthesized and investigated. It was found that electron donating substituents such as methyl and carbazole on chemosensor (1) produce remarkable red shift in emission upon complexation with Zn(2+). The sensor shows a selective fluorescence response with Zn(2+) over biologically relevant cations (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), and K(+)) and biologically non-relevant cations (Cd(2+), In(3+) and Ga(3+)) in an aqueous ethanol system. It also produce an enhancement in the quantum yield and a longer emission wavelength shift on Zn(2+) binding with the potential of a ratiometric assay.

A sensitive ratiometric fluorescent sensor for zinc(II) with high selectivity

A new fluorescent Zn²⁺ chemosensor (P1) based on a functionalized porphyrin was synthesized and characterized. P1 displayed dramatic ratiometric variations in absorption and fluorescent emission spectra upon exposure to Zn²⁺ due to the formation of a 1:1 Zn²⁺/P1 complex. The sensor also exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity toward Zn²⁺ over other common metal ions in the physiological pH range with a detection limit of 1.8 μM. The sensor showed fast response times and excellent reproducibility, thus confirming its potential applicability as a fluorescent sensor for Zn²⁺ sensing.