An ESIPT-based fluorescent probe for highly selective and ratiometric detection of mercury(ii) in solution and in cells. Issue 8 (26th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gu, Biao; Huang, Liyan; Mi, Naxiu; Yin, Peng; Zhang, Youyu; Tu, Xinman; Luo, Xubiao; Luo, Shenlian; Yao, Shouzhuo
• Is Part Of: Analyst. Volume 140:Issue 8(2015)
• Page Start: 2778
• Page End: 2784
• Publication Date: 2015-02-26
• Subjects: Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; 543
• DOI: 10.1039/c5an00273g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-2654

Abstract

Abstract : A highly selective and sensitive ratiometric fluorescent probe for mercury(ii ) has been developed. It has been demonstrated that the probe is able to detect Hg 2+ level in water samples and living cell. Abstract : A novel ratiometric fluorescent Hg 2+ detecting system was rationally developed based on the typical excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) characteristic of the latent fluorophore, 2-(1-( p -tolyl)-1 H -phenanthro[9, 10- d ]imidazol-2-yl)phenol (Pol ) and the Hg 2+ -mediated cleavage of the vinyl group. The probe responds selectively to Hg 2+ over various other metal ions with a larger bathochromic shift (∼100 nm). The sensing mechanism was investigated in detail by fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR spectra and mass spectrometry. Taking advantage of the enhancement effect of dichloromethane on the ESIPT efficiency, a facile dichloromethane extraction was introduced in the process of detection of Hg 2+, which affords a high sensitivity for the probe with a detection limit of 7.8 × 10 −9 M for Hg 2+ . By using the new strategy, the novel probe can be used for the detection of Hg 2+ in practical water samples with good recovery. Moreover, the probe was successfully applied to the fluorescence image of Hg 2+ in living cells. These results indicated that the probe and the proposed method have promising applications for Hg 2+ sensing in biological and environmental sciences.