A novel Boranil-based turn-on fluorescent probe for imaging of biothiols in living cells

• Published in: Journal of molecular structure Vol. 1209; p. 127914
• Main Authors: Ren, Aishan, Zhu, Dongjian, Luo, Yanghe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05.06.2020
• Subjects: Biothiols; Boranil; Fluorescent probe; Imaging; Turn-on; Biothiols; Turn-on; Boranil; Imaging; Fluorescent probe
• ISSN: 0022-2860; 1872-8014
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.127914

A Boranil-based turn-on fluorescent probe 1 was designed and synthesized for detecting biothiols. 1 exhibited remarkable fluorescence enhancement and blue fluorescence with a 365 nm UV lamp upon addition of biothiols. The fluorescence response was ascribed to thiol-induced the cleavage of DNBS group to yield a fluorescent product 2 by the absorption, fluorescence and ESI-MS spectra analysis. 1 exhibited rapid response (within 6 min), high selectivity and good sensitivity with the detection limit of 44.7 nM, 65.4 nM and 106.0 nM for Cys, GSH and Hcy, respectively. Moreover, 1 was successfully used for imaging of biothiols in living cells. •A novel Boranil-based turn-on fluorescent probe 1 for biothiols was developed.•The detection limit of 1 for Cys, GSH and Hcy were found to be 44.7 nM, 65.4 nM and 106.0 nM, respectively.•1 was successfully used for imaging of biothiols in living cells.