A single chemosensor for multiple analytes: fluorogenic detection of Zn²⁺ and OAc^− ions in aqueous solution, and an application to bioimaging

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

<P>A new highly selective and sensitive chemosensor <B>1</B> for both Zn<SUP>2+</SUP> and OAc<SUP>−</SUP> with off–on fluorescence behavior in aqueous solution was developed. The selectivity mechanism of <B>1</B> for zinc is based on a combinational effect of the inhibition of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer and C&z.dbd;N isomerization, and chelation-enhanced fluorescence. As a practical application, <I>in vitro</I> studies with fibroblasts showed fluorescence in the presence of both the receptor <B>1</B> and Zn<SUP>2+</SUP>. Moreover, the deprotonated <B>1</B> can behave as a chemosensing system for turn-on detection of OAc<SUP>−</SUP> in preference over various other anions tested. Therefore, <B>1</B> can serve as ‘one sensor for multiple analytes’.</P>

<P>Graphic Abstract</P><P>A single fluorescent chemosensor <B>1</B> for multiple analytes (Zn<SUP>2+</SUP> and OAc<SUP>−</SUP>) has been developed and it can monitor Zn<SUP>2+</SUP> ions in living cells.
<IMG SRC='http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/image/GA?id=c4nj00191e'>
</P>