Highly Selective Fluorescent Probe for the Sensitive Detection of Inorganic and Organic Mercury Species Assisted by H2O2

Sulfur-based fluorescent probes for biological analysis: A review

The widespread adoption of small-molecule fluorescence detection methodologies in scientific research and industrial contexts can be ascribed to their inherent merits, including elevated sensitivity, exceptional selectivity, real-time detection capabilities, and non-destructive characteristics. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on small-molecule fluorescent probes engineered with sulfur elements, aiming to detect a diverse array of biologically active species. This review presents a comprehensive survey of sulfur-based fluorescent probes published from 2017 to 2023. The diverse repertoire of recognition sites, including but not limited to N, N-dimethylthiocarbamyl, disulfides, thioether, sulfonyls and sulfoxides, thiourea, thioester, thioacetal and thioketal, sulfhydryl, phenothiazine, thioamide, and others, inherent in these sulfur-based probes markedly amplifies their capacity for detecting a broad spectrum of analytes, such as metal ions, reactive oxygen species, reactive sulfur species, reactive nitrogen species, proteins, and beyond. Owing to the individual disparities in the molecular structures of the probes, analogous recognition units may be employed to discern diverse substrates. Subsequent to this classification, the review provides a concise summary and introduction to the design and biological applications of these probe molecules. Lastly, drawing upon a synthesis of published works, the review engages in a discussion regarding the merits and drawbacks of these fluorescent probes, offering guidance for future endeavors.

A novel reaction-based fluorescent probe with a nanomolar sensitivity for detection of Hg(II) and its multiple application

An easily synthesized reaction-based probe for the fluorescence detection of Hg2+ ions using was reported. The designed probe exhibited "turn-on" fluorescence response towards Hg2+ ions via deprotection of the thiocarbonate-protecting group to alcohol in the HEPES/EtOH=8:2 (v/v, 5 mM, pH 7.4). The investigation results of probe Bzp-1 properties for Hg2+ detection indicated that probe Bzp-1 has satisfactory high selectivity and sensitivity. The detection limit of Bzp-1 for Hg2+ was found to be 4.2 nM. The recognition mechanism of Bzp-1 for Hg2+ was confirmed by ESI-MS. Moreover, the probe Bzp-1 has been successfully used to rapidly detect trace amounts of hazardous Hg2+ ions in real samples such as tap water, seafood and soil with good recoveries and less the relative standard deviations. Moreover, the Bzp-1 can also be used for fluorescence imagining of Hg2+ in living cells.

A polarity-responsive lysosomes-nucleus translocation probe for the dual-emissive visualization of cell apoptosis

Visualization of cell apoptosis is a critical task playing central roles in the fundamental studies in biology, pathology, and biomedicine. Dual-emissive fluorescent probes are desired molecular tools for study on apoptosis, which however were rarely reported. Herein, utilizing the polarity differences between lysosomes and nucleus, a translocation type of fluorescent probe (NA-S) was developed for the dual-color visualization of cell apoptosis. NA-S was designed to be polarity sensitive, bearing alkalescence group, and with DNA affinity. In living cells, NA-S targeted the lysosomes to give blue fluorescence, which translocated into the nucleus during cell apoptosis to give green emission. Thereby, the cell apoptosis could be visualized with NA-S in dual-emissive manner. With the unique probe, the cell apoptosis induced by oxidative stress, UV irradiation, rotenone, colchicine, and paclitaxel have been successfully visualized.

Cobalt(II)-catalyzed peri-C(sp2)-H selective hydroxylation of naphthalene monoimides

Reported herein is an efficient and eco-friendly peri-selective monohydroxylation of naphthalene monoimides (NMIs) to access 4-hydroxy NMIs, which possess multidisciplinary applications. The key aspect of this method is the utilization of cobalt(II)-catalysis via a single electron transfer mechanism to achieve site-selective C(sp2)-hydroxylation. Transformation of the hydroxyl group into pseudohalides reveals its applications towards cross-coupling reactions.

Highly selective fluorescent probe for detecting mercury ions in water

Mercury ion (Hg²⁺) is a well-known toxic heavy metal. It has become one of the most significant environmental pollutants in the world because of its serious physiological toxicity, persistence, easy migration, and high bioconcentration. Thus, the development of methods for monitoring Hg²⁺ is indispensable. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a new fluorescent probe, TPH, for the detection of Hg²⁺ in the water environment. The TPH probe could quantitatively detect Hg²⁺ between 0 and 5 μM (LOD = 16 nM), with a linear range of 0-2.5 μM. In addition, the TPH probe was used to monitor Hg²⁺ in water samples successfully. Thus, this probe is suitable for monitoring Hg²⁺ in the actual water environment.

An “AIE + ESIPT” mechanism-based benzothiazole-derived fluorescent probe for the detection of Hg2+ and its applications

A simple “AIE + ESIPT” mechanism-based fluorescent probe for Hg2+ detection has been developed. The probe is applicable to detect Hg2+ in living cells, natural water, and seafood samples.

Engineering Spherically Super-Structured Polyamides for the Sustainable Water Remediation

Unlike metal-ornamented hybrid material and linear polymers, we invoked the growth of a biodegradable superstructured cross-linked polyamide-ester material. The material is thermally stable. The thiol-alkene photoclicked material acted as an efficient water remediator. The material efficiently monitored amphiphilic dyes like rhodamine B (RHB), methylene blue (MB), and chronic mercuric ions in water. The adsorption kinetics revealed the material could adsorb >95% dyes within 24 h. The RHB-functionalized polymer could sense mercuric ions too. The Density functional theory (DFT) calculation shows a chelated mercury complex with thioether in the polymer, Poly-Am-RhAll, to form a comparatively more stable complex.

Design and Synthesis of Dipeptidomimetic Isocyanonaphthalene as Enhanced-Fluorescent Chemodosimeter for Sensing Mercury Ion and Living Cells

A novel valine-based isocyanonaphthalene (NpI) was designed and synthesized by using an easy method and enabled the selective fluorescence detection of Hg2+. The chemodosimeter can display an immediate turn-on fluorescence response (500-fold) towards target metal ions upon the Hg2+-mediated conversion of isocyano to amino within NpI. Based on this specific reaction, the fluorescence-enhancement probe revealed a high sensitivity toward Hg2+ over other common metal ions and exhibited excellent aqueous solubility, good antijamming capability, high sensitivity (detection limit: 14.2 nM), and real-time detection. The response mechanism of NpI was supported by NMR spectroscopy, MS analysis and DFT theoretical calculation using various techniques. Moreover, a dipeptidomimetic NpI probe was successfully applied to visualize intracellular Hg2+ in living cells and monitor Hg2+ in real water samples with good recoveries and small relative standard deviations.

Dual-channel colorimetric fluorescent probe for determination of hydrazine and mercury ion

Hydrazine and mercury (Hg) poisoning represented a serious hazard to human health. So, developing method to detect and recognize them is highly desirable. Here, we prepared a multifunctional colorimetric and fluorescent probe (PI-Rh) consisting of a phenanthroimidazole (PI) dye conjugated with a Rhodamine (Rh) group for the effective recognition of hydrazine and Hg²⁺, induvidually and collectively, with different colorimetric and fluorescence outputs. Probe PI-Rh displays low detection limits measured to be 0.0632 μM (~2 ppb) and 0.0101 μM (~2 ppb) respectively for hydrazine and Hg²⁺ with high selectivity and excellent sensitivity. Moreover, the experimental results indicated that the superiority of this probe lied in its wide applications, for example, successful response in real water, and soil analysis. Interestingly, an visual, rapid, and real-time detection of gaseous hydrazine can be realized with 0.2793 μM detection limit using the facile PI-Rh-impregnated test paper.

Construction of a lysosome-targetable ratiometric fluorescent probe for H2O2 tracing and imaging in living cells and an inflamed model

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), an important reactive oxygen species (ROS) with unique destructive oxidation properties, can be produced in lysosomes to fight off pathogens. Although many fluorescent probes have been developed for the detection and imaging of H₂O₂, the development of a ratiometric fluorescent probe for H₂O₂ detection and imaging in lysosomes and an inflammation model remains rather scarce. Therefore, it is important to develop an efficient tool for monitoring H₂O₂ in inflamed tissues to evaluate the physiological and pathological relationship between inflammation and lysosomal H₂O₂. In this work, a new naphthalimide-based lysosome-targeting fluorescent probe (NPT-H₂O₂) for ratiometric detection and imaging was developed in vitro and in vivo. The probe exhibited two well-resolved emission peaks separated by 125 nm, rapid response (<40 s), and high selectivity and sensitivity toward H₂O₂, as well as low cytotoxicity in vitro. Inspired by prominent features of these results, we further successfully applied NPT-H₂O₂ for H₂O₂ imaging with a dual-channel in living cells, demonstrating that our probe NPT-H₂O₂ was targeted in the lysosomes. Finally, NPT-H₂O₂ was used for H₂O₂ detection in inflamed tissues and achieved satisfactory results. We predict that our probe can be used as a powerful tool to reveal the relationship between physiology and pathology of inflammation and lysosomal H₂O₂.

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), an important reactive oxygen species (ROS) with unique destructive oxidation properties, can be produced in lysosomes to fight off pathogens.

A FRET-ICT Dual-Modulated Ratiometric Fluorescence Sensor for Monitoring and Bio-Imaging of Cellular Selenocysteine

Since the fluctuation of cellular selenocysteine (Sec) concentration plays an all-important role in the development of numerous human disorders, the real-time fluorescence detection of Sec in living systems has attracted plenty of interest during the past decade. In order to obtain a faster and more sensitive small organic molecule fluorescence sensor for the Sec detection, a new ratiometric fluorescence sensor Q7 was designed based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) strategy with coumarin fluorophore as energy donor and 4-hydroxy naphthalimide fluorophore (with 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonate as fluorescence signal quencher and Sec-selective recognition site) as an energy acceptor. The sensor Q7 exhibited only a blue fluorescence signal, and displayed two well distinguished emission bands (blue and green) in the presence of Sec with ∆λ of 68 nm. Moreover, concentrations ranging of quantitative detection of Sec of Q7 was from 0 to 45 μM (limit of detection = 6.9 nM), with rapid ratiometric response, high sensitivity and selectivity capability. Impressively, the results of the living cell imaging test demonstrated Q7 has the potentiality of being an ideal sensor for real-time Sec detection in biosystems.

Mixed alkoxy/hydroxy 1,8-naphthalimides: expanded fluorescence colour palette and in vitro bioactivity

An efficient and functional group tolerant route to access hydroxy 1,8-naphthalimides has been used to synthesise a range of mono- and disubstituted hydroxy-1,8-naphthalimides with fluorescence emissions covering the visible spectrum. The dialkoxy substituted compounds prepared possess high quantum yields (up to 0.95) and long fluorescent lifetimes (up to 14 ns). The method has been used to generate scriptaid analogues that successfully inhibit HDAC6 in vitro with tubulin acetylation assays confirming that these compounds are more effective than tubastatin.

Dual channel ion imprinted fluorescent polymers for dual mode simultaneous chromium speciation analysis

A simple core shell structured fluorescent sensor was constructed to realize simultaneous detection of hexavalent and trivalent chromium ions. Briefly, blue-carbon dots (b-CDs) were embedded into a silica sphere, then a Cr(iii) imprinted silica layer doped with red-CDs (r-CDs) was coated onto the b-CDs@SiO₂. Cr(vi) can selectively quench b-CDs based on the inner filter effect and Cr(iii) can selectively quench r-CDs based on electron transfer with the aid of the ion imprinting technique. In this strategy, it was not necessary to reduce Cr(vi) to Cr(iii) or oxidize Cr(iii) to Cr(vi), the chromium speciation of both can be detected simultaneously. When Cr(vi) was detected in the blue channel, the fluorescence intensity quenching effect was seen at 440 nm, and was linear from 0.01 to 10.0 μM, with a detection limit of 3.8 nM. For the detection of Cr(iii) in the red channel, the fluorescence intensity quenching effect was seen at 605 nm, and was linear from 0.1 to 15.0 μM, with a detection limit of 46 nM. This strategy enjoyed the advantages of simple construction, convenient detection, good selectivity and high sensitivity.

A TP-FRET-based fluorescent sensor for ratiometric visualization of selenocysteine derivatives in living cells, tissues and zebrafish

Selenium is a biologically essential micronutrient element serving as an essential building block for selenoproteins (SePs), which is playing a key role in various cellular functions. Hence, it is of great significance to developing a reliable and rapid method for detection of Sec in biosystems. Compared with the previously reported probes that have been developed for selective detection of Sec, two-photon (TP) ratiometric Sec-specific probes would be advantageous for the NIR excitation and built-in correction of the dual emission bands. To quantitatively and selectively detect Sec over biothiols with rapid and sensitive response, we for the first time report a new fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based TP ratiometric fluorescence probe CmNp-Sec, which was constructed by conjugating a TP fluorophore 6 (coumarin derivative with a D-π-A-structure) with a naphthalimide fluorophore 9 via a non-conjugated linker, and employed a 4-dinitrobenzene-ether (DNB) with a strong ICT effect as Sec responsive moiety. It exhibits quantitatively detect Sec in a wide range (0-50 μM) with a limit of detection of 7.88 nM within 10 min. More impressively, this probe can be conveniently used to detect Sec in living cells, tissues and zebrafish, demonstrating it has the latent capability in further biological applications.

A Highly Selective and Ultrasensitive Fluorescent Probe for Monitoring Hg2+ and Its Applications in Real Water Samples

Mercury ions as high toxic pollutants have received wide-spread attention because of their poisonousness, persistence and enrichment. To better understand the distribution of mercury species and supplement more detailed toxicological research, it is necessary to develop some methods for monitoring mercury ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Therefore, a simple rhodol-based highly selective fluorescent probe, RH-Hg, has been developed for monitoring Hg²⁺ with thiocarbamate as the recognition receptor. The probe RH-Hg can quantificationally detect mercury ions in aqueous solution assisted by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and it can discriminate Hg²⁺ through "naked-eye" observation of the color changes from light orange to dark pink. Finally, the practical applications of the probe RH-Hg in the river water further demonstrated that it will be an effective and economical tool for monitoring the distribution of Hg²⁺ in the environment.

ESIPT-based fluorescence probe for the rapid detection of hypochlorite (HOCl/ClO−)

ESIPT-based fluorescence probes are emerging as an attractive tool for the detection of biologically relevant analytes owing to their unique photophysical properties.

Positional isomeric chemosensors: fluorescent and colorimetric cyanide detection based on Si–O cleavage

Highly selective and sensitive fluorescent and colorimetric cis/trans isomers 3 were rationally designed and investigated for the fast detection and visualization of cyanide ions (TBACN and NaCN) via CN-promoted Si–O cleavage in aqueous solution and in the solid state.

A reusable multichannel anthraimidazoledione-based receptor for Hg2+and Cu2+ions: ultrasensitive, economical and facile detection of Hg2+in real water sources through fluorescence readout

A multichannel, ultrasensitive and selective receptor (1) has been developed for practical detection of Hg²⁺in various drinking waters.

A novel ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe for imaging of Pd(2+) ions in living cells and tissues

Ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probes can not only eliminate interferences from environmental factors but also achieve deep-tissue imaging with improved spatial localization. To quantitatively track Pd(2+) in biosystems, herein, we reported a ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe, termed as Np-Pd, which based on a D-π-A-structure two-photon fluorophore of the naphthalimide derivative and deprotection of aryl propargyl ethers by palladium species. The probe Np-Pd displayed a more than 25-fold enhancement towards palladium species with high sensitivity and selectivity. Additionally, the probe Np-Pd was further used for fluorescence imaging of Pd(2+) ions in living cells and tissues under two-photon excitation (820nm), which showed large tissue-imaging depth (19.6-184.6μm), and a high resolution for ratiometric imaging.