Rapid Colorimetric and Fluorometric Discrimination of Maleic Acid vs. Fumaric Acid and Detection of Maleic Acid in Food Additives

An anthracene thiazole based Schiff base L was synthesized and employed for fluorescence switch-on detection of maleic acid in aqueous DMSO. The non-fluorescent L (10-5 M) showed an instantaneous and selective fluorescence enhancement at 506 nm upon interaction with maleic acid (10-5 M). Other potential carboxylic acids (10-5 M), such as malic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, cinnamic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, oxalic acid and malonic acid failed to alter the chromo-fluorogenic properties of L. Probe L can be employed to detect maleic acid down to 2.74 × 10-6 M. The probe L showed good linearity from 2.97 to 6.87 µM. Analytical utility of L was examined by detecting maleic acid in various food additives and drosophila larvae.

Azacrown-calixpyrrole isosteres: receptors and sensors for anions

Calix[4]pyrroles (CPs) and polyammonium azacrowns (ACs) are well-known receptors for anions. CPs bind anions by directional hydrogen bonds that do not always work well for aqueous analytes. The positive charge in polyammonium ACs allows for a stronger but non-directional anion-ammonium electrostatic attraction but lack selectivity. Bridging the gap between CPs and ACs could increase affinity and potentially preserve the selectivity of anion binding. We have synthesized a flexible calixpyrrole-azacrown near isosteric receptor and incorporated an environmentally sensitive dansyl fluorophore to enable fluorescence measurements. Anion binding was evaluated using NMR and fluorescence titrations. The isosteric receptor shows a strong affinity for aqueous phosphates and phosphonates (Na⁺ salts) in the order HAsO₄^2- > H₂PO₄^- > H₂P₂O₇^2- > glyphosate^2- > AMP^- > methylphosphonate^- ≫ ADP^2- or ATP^3- but does not bind halides. This is in stark contrast to CP which shows a strong preference for halides over oxyanions. The anion binding by the new receptor was accompanied by analyte-specific changes in fluorescence intensity and spectral width and by a wavelength shift. These parameters were used in qualitative and quantitative sensing of aqueous anions. By applying machine-learning algorithms, such as linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine linear regression, this one sensor can differentiate between 10 different analytes and accurately quantify herbicide glyphosate and methylphosphonate, a product of sarin, soman or cyclosarin hydrolysis. In fact, glyphosate can be quantified even in the presence of competing anions such as orthophosphate (LODs were ≤ 1 μM).

Enlightening the Path to Protein Engineering: Chemoselective Turn-On Probes for High-Throughput Screening of Enzymatic Activity

Many successful stories in enzyme engineering are based on the creation of randomized diversity in large mutant libraries, containing millions to billions of enzyme variants. Methods that enabled their evaluation with high throughput are dominated by spectroscopic techniques due to their high speed and sensitivity. A large proportion of studies relies on fluorogenic substrates that mimic the chemical properties of the target or coupled enzymatic assays with an optical read-out that assesses the desired catalytic efficiency indirectly. The most reliable hits, however, are achieved by screening for conversions of the starting material to the desired product. For this purpose, functional group assays offer a general approach to achieve a fast, optical read-out. They use the chemoselectivity, differences in electronic and steric properties of various functional groups, to reduce the number of false-positive results and the analytical noise stemming from enzymatic background activities. This review summarizes the developments and use of functional group probes for chemoselective derivatizations, with a clear focus on screening for enzymatic activity in protein engineering.

Effect of Substitution at Amine Functionality of 2,6-Diaminopyridine-Coupled Rhodamine on Metal-Ion Interaction and Self-Assembly

2,6-Diaminopyridine-coupled rhodamines 1 and 2 have been synthesized, and the effect of substitution on amine functionality toward metal-ion interactions and self-assembly is thoroughly investigated. Both the compounds effectively recognize different metal ions of biological significance fluorimetrically and colorimetrically with a high degree of selectivity and sensitivities. While compound 1 is sensitive to Fe³⁺ ions, compound 2 is responsive to both Fe³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions in aqueous CH₃CN (4/1, v/v; 10 mM tris HCl buffer, pH 6.8). The sensing mechanism involves the metal-ion chelation-induced spirolactam ring opening of the rhodamine scaffold that results in both color and fluorescence changes, while the extent of interactions with the metal ions is truly governed by the chemical structure of the compounds. Both 1 and 2 are proficient in detecting Fe³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions in human lung cancer cells (A549). As new findings, unlike 1, compound 2 formed a faint pink gel in the toluene-hexane mixture solvent (1:1, v/v), and the gel state of 2 selectively recognizes Ag⁺ ions by exhibiting a phase change from gel to purple sol. Experimental findings establish the role of the formamide moiety in forming the self-assembly.

Stacking among the clips of the poly-aromatic rings of phenazine with hydroxy-aromatics and photophysical properties

Clip-like arrangements of molecules in the cocrystals of phenazine with hydroxy-aromatics in their respective self-assemblies and photophysical properties were presented. Phenazine cocrystals with 1,2-dihydroxybenzene provided assembly with butterfly-like arrangements. In these cocrystals, the phenazine molecules occurred in parallel pairs having extensive π-stacking. The clip-like cocrystals with 1,3-dihydroxybenzene also exhibited parallel pairs of phenazine molecules that were parallel cofacial π-stacked. The hydrated cocrystals of phenazine with 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene had chains of parallel cofacial phenazine rings having three distinguishable π-separation distances among the centroids of the phenazine rings. Also, 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene formed a clip-like cocrystal with phenazine, which encapsulated an additional molecule of phenazine. This cocrystal also provided chain-like parallel arrangements of the phenazine molecules. The emission and quantum yields of the cocrystals were determined by the integrating sphere method, which indicated that only the cocrystal of phenazine with 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene showed monomer-like emission of phenazine and the rest of the cocrystals were in a quenched state. In the solution phase, quenching of the emission of hydroxynaphthalene was observed when phenazine was added to an independent solution of 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene or another hydroxynaphthalene. However, when hydroxybenzenes were added to a solution of phenazine, fluorescence enhancements of phenazine occurred due to photo-electron transfer.

π-Stackings control the photoluminescence efficiencies in solids, whereas in solutions, the ON or OFF processes are dependent on the hydroxyaromatics.

A highly sensitive luminescent probe based on Ru(II)-bipyridine complex for Cu2+, l-Histidine detection and cellular imaging

A ruthenium(II) bipyridyl complex conjugated with functionalized Schiff base (RuA) has been synthesized and functioned as a luminescent probe. The luminescence of RuA was greatly quenched by Cu²⁺ due to its molecular coordination with paramagnetic Cu²⁺. Subsequently, the addition of l-Histidine can turn on the luminescence of the RuA-Cu(II) ensemble, which can be attributed to the replacement of RuA in RuA-Cu(II) ensemble by l-Histidine. On the basis of the quenching and recovery of the luminescence of RuA, we proposed a rapid and highly sensitive on-off-on luminescent assay for sensing Cu²⁺ and l-Histidine in aqueous solution. Under the optimal conditions, Cu²⁺ and l-Histidine can be detected in the concentration range of 5 nM-9.0 μM and 50 nM-30 μM, respectively, and the corresponding detection limits were calculated to be 0.35 and 0.44 nM (S/N=3), separately. The proposed luminescent probe has been successfully utilized for the analysis of Cu²⁺ and l-Histidine in real samples (drinking water and biological fluids). Furthermore, the probe revealed good photostability, low cytotoxicity and excellent permeability, making it a suitable candidate for cell imaging and labeling in vitro.

Sensing study of quinoxaline analogues with theoretical calculation, single-crystal X-ray structure and real application in commercial fruit juices

Single-crystal X-ray structures of dimeric quinoxaline aldehyde (QA), quinoxaline dihydrazone (DHQ) and HQNM (Goswami S et al. 2013 Tetrahedron Lett.54, 5075-5077. (doi:10.1016/j.tetlet.2013.07.051); Goswami S et al. 2014 RSC Adv.4, 20 922-20 926. (doi:10.1039/C4RA00594E); Goswami S et al. 2014 New J. Chem.38, 6230-6235. (doi:10.1039/C4NJ01498G)) are reported along with the theoretical study. Among them, QA is not acting as an active probe, but DHQ and HQNM are serving as selective and sensitive probe for the Fe³⁺ cation and the Ni²⁺ cation, respectively. DHQ can also detect the Fe³⁺ in commercial fruit juices (grape and pomegranate).

Discrimination of dicarboxylic acids via assembly-induced emission

Dicarboxylic acids are important chemicals in human metabolism and various industries. A triazine-based AIEgen can recognize dicarboxylic acids with selectivity based on the relative position of the two –COOH groups.

A fluorescence ‘turn-on’ chemodosimeter for the specific detection of Pd2+by a rhodamine appended Schiff base and its application in live cell imaging

Allylether-Rhodamine selectively invites Pd²⁺from mixture of other cations and Pd(0) in H₂O-MeCN medium and exhibits maroon emission due to C(allyl)-O bond cleavage and opening of spirolactam ring. The LOD is 50 nM at pH 7. Imaging Pd²⁺species in living cells under physiological conditions is achieved.

Recognition of bio-relevant dicarboxylate anions by an azacalix[2]arene[2]triazine derivative decorated with urea moieties

The binding affinity of a dichlorocalix[2]arene[2]triazine based bis-urea azamacrocycle was investigated towards a wide range of bio-relevant dicarboxylate anions by a combination of ¹H NMR titrations in CDCl₃ and molecular dynamics simulations.

A series of ditopic receptors for succinic acid binding

Three ditopic-abiotic receptors (R1, R2 and R3) have been designed and synthesised. The receptors have been applied for the recognition of dicarboxylic acids viz. malonic, succinic, glutaric and adipic acids. Among them, succinic acid shows the highest binding efficiency to all receptors. Recognition of succinic acid is very important due to its various adverse effects on human health upon prolonged exposure.

A novel fluorescence probe for estimation of cysteine/histidine in human blood plasma and recognition of endogenous cysteine in live Hct116 cells

A new cell membrane permeable reagent for detection of endogenous Cys as well as quantitative estimation of Cys and His in a human blood plasma sample.

A specific probe for Hg2+ to delineate even H+ in pure aqueous buffer/Hct116 colon cancer cells: Hg(ii)–η2-arene π-interaction and a TBET-based fluorescence response

Ligand design that allows a Hg(ii)–η²-arene π-interaction as well as a TBET-based luminescence response to distinguish between the cellular uptake of Hg²⁺ and H⁺ in live Hct116 colon cancer cells.