A series of anthracene-derived dyes for Cu2+-assisted CO sensing and bio-imaging: synthesis, performance, and mechanism

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Vol. 320; p. 124565
• Main Authors: Song, Lina, Cui, Chunguo, Lin, Tiantian, Kong, Xiao, Shi, Kaiyao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05.11.2024
• Subjects: Anthracene-derived dyes; Bio-imaging; Cu2+-assisted; endogenous CO; endogenous CO; Anthracene-derived dyes; Cu2+-assisted; Bio-imaging
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124565

[Display omitted] •four anthracene-derived dyes were synthesized for Cu2+-assisted CO sensing.•The quenching mechanism was a static one by forming a non-fluorescent complex with Cu2+.•Such quenching effect could be reversed by CO, showing recovered fluorescence.•These dyes were explored for cellular endogenous CO imaging. Endogenous CO acts as an important messenger for signal transduction and therapeutic effect in the human body. Fluorescent imaging appears to be a promising method for endogenous CO recognition, but traditional luminescent probes based on Pd-complexes suffered from defects of high cost. In this work, four anthracene-derived dyes having an = N—N = group were synthesized for Cu2+-assisted CO sensing. Their molecular structure, photophysical performance and spectral response to Cu2+ and CO were analyzed in detail. The optimal probe showed good selectivity and quenching effect to Cu2+, with PLQY (photoluminescence quantum yield) decreased from 0.33 to 0.04. The quenching mechanism was found as a static quenching mechanism by forming a non-fluorescent complex with Cu2+ (stoichiometric ratio = 1:1), as revealed by single crystal, EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance), and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analysis. Such quenching effect could be reversed by CO, showing recovered fluorescence, with PLQY recovered to 0.32 within 328 s. Discussion on cellular endogenous CO imaging was included as well.