Clicking fluoroionophores onto mesoporous silicas: a universal strategy toward efficient fluorescent surface sensors for metal ions

Synthesis of functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for colorimetric and fluorescence sensing of selective metal (Fe3+) ions in aqueous solution

The fabrication of red fluorescent hybrid mesoporous silica-based nanosensor materials has promised the bioimaging and selective detection of toxic pollutants in aqueous solutions. In this study, we present a hybrid mesoporous silica nanosensor in which the propidium iodide (PI) was used to conveniently integrate into the mesopore walls using bis(trimethoxysilylpropyl silane) precursors. Various characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), N2 adsorption-desorption, zeta potential, particle size analysis, thermogravimetric, and UV-visible analysis were used to analyze the prepared materials. The prepared PI integrated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PI-MSNs) selective metal ion sensing capabilities were tested with a variety of heavy metal ions (100 mM), including Ni2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Al3+, Mg2+, Hg2+ and Fe3+ ions. Among the investigated metal ions, the prepared PI-MSNs demonstrated selective monitoring of Fe3+ ions with a significant visible colorimetric pink color change into orange and quenching of pink fluorescence in an aqueous suspension. The selective sensing behavior of PI-MSNs might be due to the interaction of Fe3+ ions with the integrated PI functional fluorophore present in the mesopore walls. Therefore, we emphasize that the prepared PI-MSNs could be efficient for selective monitoring of Fe3+ ions in an aqueous solution and in the biological cellular microenvironment.

Contribution of the "Click Chemistry" Toolbox for the Design, Synthesis, and Resulting Applications of Innovative and Efficient Separative Supports: Time for Assessment

The last two decades have seen the rapid expansion of click chemistry methodology in various domains closely related to organic chemistry. It has notably been widely developed in the area of surface chemistry, mainly because of the high-yielding character of reactions of the "click" type. Especially, this powerful chemical reaction toolbox has been adapted to the preparation of stationary phases from the corresponding chromatographic supports. A plethora of selectors can thus be immobilized on either organic, inorganic, or hybrid stationary phases that can be used in different chromatographic modes. This review first highlights the few different chemical ligation strategies of the "click" type that are up to now mainly devoted to the development of functionalized supports for separation sciences. Then, it gives in a second part an up-to-date survey of the different studies dedicated to the preparation of click chemistry-based chromatographic supports while highlighting the powerful and versatile character of the "click" ligation strategy for the design, synthesis, and developments of more and more complex systems that can find promising applications in the area of analytical sciences, in domains as varied as enantioselective separation, glycomics, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc.

Design of Multifunctional Fluorescent Hybrid Materials Based on SiO2 Materials and Core-Shell Fe3 O4 @SiO2 Nanoparticles for Metal Ion Sensing

Hybrid fluorescent materials constructed from organic chelating fluorescent probes and inorganic solid supports by covalent interactions are a special type of hybrid sensing platform that has gained much interest in the context of metal ion sensing applications owing to their excellent advantages, recyclability, and solubility/dispersibility in particular, as compared with single organic fluorescent molecules. In recent decades, SiO₂ materials and core-shell Fe₃ O₄ @SiO₂ nanoparticles have become important inorganic solid materials and have been used as inorganic solid supports to hybridize with organic fluorescent receptors, resulting in multifunctional fluorescent hybrid systems for potential applications in sensing and related research fields. Therefore, recent progress in various fluorescent-group-functionalized SiO₂ materials is reviewed, with a focus on mesoporous silica nanoparticles and core-shell Fe₃ O₄ @SiO₂ nanoparticles, as interesting fluorescent organic-inorganic hybrid materials for sensing applications toward essential and toxic metal ions. Selective examples of other types of silica/silicon materials, such as periodic mesoporous organosilicas, solid SiO₂ nanoparticles, fibrous silica spheres, silica nanowires, silica nanotubes, and silica hollow microspheres, are also mentioned. Finally, relevant perspectives of metal-ion-sensing-oriented silica-fluorescent probe hybrid materials are provided.

Naphthalimide-based fluorescent nanoprobes for the detection of saccharides

Fluorescent nano probes with different sizes were synthesized for saccharides. The particle size is a major factor that affects the performance.

Synthesis and the Biological Activity of Phosphonylated 1,2,3-Triazolenaphthalimide Conjugates

A novel series of diethyl {4-[(5-substituted-1,3-dioxo-1H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2(3H)-yl)-methyl]-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl}alkylphosphonates designed as analogues of amonafide was synthesized. All phosphonates were assessed for antiviral activity against a broad range of DNA and RNA viruses and several of them showed potency against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) [EC50 (50% effective concentration) = 27.6-91.5 μM]. Compound 16b exhibited the highest activity against a thymidine kinase-deficient (TK-) VZV strain (EC50 = 27.59 μM), while 16d was the most potent towards TK⁺ VZV (EC50 = 29.91 μM). Cytostatic properties of the compounds 14a-i-17a-i were studied on L1210, CEM, HeLa and HMEC-1 cell lines and most of them were slightly cytostatic for HeLa [IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) = 29-130 µM] and L1210 cells [IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) = 14-142 µM].

Isoquinoline-1,3-diones as Selective Inhibitors of Tyrosyl DNA Phosphodiesterase II (TDP2)

Tyrosyl DNA phosphodiesterase II (TDP2) is a recently discovered enzyme that specifically repairs DNA damages induced by topoisomerase II (Top2) poisons and causes resistance to these drugs. Inhibiting TDP2 is expected to enhance the efficacy of clinically important Top2-targeting anticancer drugs. However, TDP2 as a therapeutic target remains poorly understood. We report herein the discovery of isoquinoline-1,3-dione as a viable chemotype for selectively inhibiting TDP2. The initial hit compound 43 was identified by screening our in-house collection of synthetic compounds. Further structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies identified numerous analogues inhibiting TDP2 in low micromolar range without appreciable inhibition against the homologous TDP1 at the highest testing concentration (111 μM). The best compound 64 inhibited recombinant TDP2 with an IC50 of 1.9 μM. The discovery of this chemotype may provide a platform toward understanding TDP2 as a drug target.

Dual mode signaling responses of a rhodamine based probe and its immobilization onto a silica gel surface for specific mercury ion detection

The amino-ethyl-rhodamine-B based probe 2 appended with a 3-aminomethyl-(2-amino-1-pyridyl) group retained its Hg(ii)-specific chromogenic and fluorogenic signaling responses in an aqueous medium even upon immobilization onto a silica gel surface for selective detection and extraction of Hg(ii) ions.

Theoretical assessment of the selective fluorescence quenching of 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid (H-Acid) complexes with Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+): A DFT and TD-DFT study

Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD)-DFT calculations at the PBE0/6-31++G** aug-cc-PVDZ (along with corresponding ECP for metal ions) level of theory were carried out to investigate the differences in structure, bonding, and fluorescence behavior of 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid (H-acid) (1) when coordinated to Zn(2+) (2), Cd(2+) (3), and Hg(2+) (4) in a simulated continuous aqueous media (PCM). Ground and excited state calculations were performed on all compounds in order to gain insight on their bonding properties, as well as on their photochemical behavior, since we previously reported that complexation of Hg(2+) quenches the fluorescence properties of ligand (1), while at the same time exhibits a different coordination pattern than the two other remaining complexes. Changes in the excited states' radiative lifetime upon coordination to different metals account for this selective quenching.

Synthetic approach towards ‘click’ modified chalcone based organotriethoxysilanes; UV-Vis study

The efficient linkage of a conjugate chalcone to n-propyltriethoxysilanes via a 1,2,3-triazole is reported. The synthesis involves a Claisen–Schmidt condensation followed by a copper(i) catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction.

Highly portable fluorescent turn-on sensor for sulfide anions based on silicon nanowires

A portable fluorescent sensor for S²⁻ based on SiNW arrays was realized and used to monitor S²⁻ in running water.

Magnetically recoverable fluorescence chemosensor for the adsorption and selective detection of Hg2+ in water

In order to conveniently and effectively detect the heavy metal ion Hg(2+) existing in water, a magnetic fluorescence chemosensor has been strategically prepared by immobilizing a Rhodamine B derivative RhB-tris(2-aminoethyl)amine on Fe3O4@SiO2-Au@PSiO2 composites via gold particles. The adsorption and detection for Hg(2+) ions were investigated with fluorophotometry. This chemosensor shows high sensitivity and high selectivity for Hg(2+) over other metal cations owing to the ring opening of the rhodamine fluorophore selectively induced by Hg(2+). In addition, the presence of Fe3O4 in the sensor also facilitates the magnetic separation of the Fe3O4@SiO2-Au-Hg(2+)@PSiO2 from the solution.

Conjugation-induced fluorescence labelling of mesoporous silica nanoparticles for the sensitive and selective detection of copper ions in aqueous solution

A newly developed fluorescent “on–off” chemosensor presents high selectivity towards Cu²⁺ with detection limit as low as 0.28 μM.

Rhodamine B immobilized on hollow Au-HMS material for naked-eye detection of Hg2+ in aqueous media

A simple, effective method has been demonstrated to immobilize Rhodamine B (RhB) probes on mesoporous silica (Au-HMS). The prepared chemosensor (Au-HMS-Probe) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectrum and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Further application of Au-HMS-Probe in sensing Hg(2+) was confirmed by fluorescence titration experiment. Au-HMS-Probe afforded "turn-on" fluorescence enhancement and displayed high brightness in water, and it also showed excellent selectivity for Hg(2+) over alkali (Na(+), K(+)), alkaline earth (Mg(2+), Ca(2+)) and other heavy metal ions (Ag(+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Pb(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+)). Importantly, Au-HMS-Probe could be regenerated by treatment with tetrapropylammonium hydroxide solution.

Discrete complexes immobilized onto click-SBA-15 silica: controllable loadings and the impact of surface coverage on catalysis

Azidopropyl functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 were prepared with variable azide loadings of 0.03-0.7 mmol g(-1) (~2-50% of maximal surface coverage) through a direct synthesis, co-condensation approach. These materials are functionalized selectively with ethynylated organic moieties through a copper-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) or "click" reaction. Specific loading within a material can be regulated by either the azide loading or limiting the alkyne reagent relative to the azide loading. The immobilization of ferrocene, pyrene, tris(pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA), and iron porphyrin (FeTPP) demonstrates the robust nature and reproducibility of this two-step synthetic attachment strategy. Loading-sensitive pyrene fluorescence correlates with a theoretically random surface distribution, rather than a uniform one; site-isolation of tethered moieties ~15 Å in length occurs at loadings less than 0.02 mmol g(-1). The effect of surface loading on reactivity is observed in the oxygenation of SBA-15-[Cu(I)(TPA)]. SBA-15-[Mn(II)(TPA)]-catalyzed epoxidation exhibits a systematic dependence on surface loading. A comparison of homogeneous, site-isolated and site-dense complexes provides insight into catalyst speciation and ligand activity.

8-aminoquinoline functionalized silica nanoparticles: a fluorescent nanosensor for detection of divalent zinc in aqueous and in yeast cell suspension

Zinc is one of the most important transition metal of physiological importance, existing primarily as a divalent cation. A number of sensors have been developed for Zn(II) detection. Here, we present a novel fluorescent nanosensor for Zn(II) detection using a derivative of 8-aminoquinoline (N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-(3 (triethoxysilyl)propylamino)acetamide (QTEPA) grafted on silica nanoparticles (SiNPs). These functionalized SiNPs were used to demonstrate specific detection of Zn(II) in tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.22), in yeast cell (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) suspension, and in tap water. The silane QTEPA, SiNPs and final product were characterized using solution and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric techniques, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nanosensor shows almost 2.8-fold fluorescence emission enhancement and about 55 nm red-shift upon excitation with 330 ± 5 nm wavelength in presence of 1 μM Zn(II) ions in tris-HCl (pH 7.22). The presence of other metal ions has no observable effect on the sensitivity and selectivity of nanosensor. This sensor selectively detects Zn(II) ions with submicromolar detection to a limit of 0.1 μM. The sensor shows good applicability in the determination of Zn(II) in tris-HCl buffer and yeast cell environment. Further, it shows enhancement in fluorescence intensity in tap water samples.