Multimodal Use of New Coumarin‐Based Fluorescent Chemosensors: Towards Highly Selective Optical Sensors for Hg2+ Probing. Issue 43 (11th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bazzicalupi, Carla; Caltagirone, Claudia; Cao, Zenfeng; Chen, Qibin; Di Natale, Corrado; Garau, Alessandra; Lippolis, Vito; Lvova, Larisa; Liu, Honglai; Lundström, Ingemar; Mostallino, M. Cristina; Nieddu, Mattia; Paolesse, Roberto; Prodi, Luca; Sgarzi, Massimo; Zaccheroni, Nelsi
• Is Part Of: Chemistry. Volume 19:Issue 43(2013)
• Page Start: 14639
• Page End: 14653
• Publication Date: 2013-09-11
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.201302090
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-6539

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Despite several types of fluorescent sensing molecules have been proposed and examined to signal Hg²⁺ ion binding, the development of fluorescence‐based devices for in‐field Hg²⁺ detection and screening in environmental and industrial samples is still a challenging task. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of three new coumarin‐based fluorescent chemosensors featuring mixed thia/aza macrocyclic framework as receptors units, that is, ligands <bold>L1</bold>–<bold>L3</bold>. These probes revealed an OFF–ON selective response to the presence of Hg²⁺ ions in MeCN/H₂O 4:1 (v/v), which allowed imaging of this metal ion in Cos‐7 cells in vitro. Once included in silica core–polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell nanoparticles or supported on polyvinyl chloride (PVC)‐based polymeric membranes, ligands <bold>L1</bold>–<bold>L3</bold> can also selectively sense Hg²⁺ ions in pure water. In particular we have developed an optical sensing array tacking advantage of the fluorescent properties of ligand <bold>L3</bold> and based on the computer screen photo assisted technique (CSPT). In the device ligand <bold>L3</bold> is dispersed into PVC membranes and it quantitatively responds to Hg²⁺ ions in natural water samples.</p> </abstract>