A simple colorimetric and fluorometric probe for rapid detection of CN– with large emission shift

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Vol. 280; p. 121540
• Main Authors: Song, Yu-Fei, Wu, Wei-Na, Zhao, Xiao-Lei, Wang, Yuan, Fan, Yun-Chang, Dong, Xi-Yan, Xu, Zhi-Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05.11.2022
• Subjects: Cell imaging; CN; Fluorescent probe; ICT; CN; ICT; Cell imaging; Fluorescent probe
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121540

[Display omitted] •A simple developed fluorescent probe was synthesized for rapid detection of CN– in colorimetric and fluorometric signal channels.•The crystal structure of the probe is reported.•The probe works in DMSO/HEPES (3:7, v/v) solution with large fluorescent emission (595 nm) and large Stokes shifts (145 nm).•The probe has been successfully applied to the imaging of CN− in C6 cells. In this work, a novel probe R was synthesized via Knoevenagel reaction between 3H-benzo[f]chromium-2-formaldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate for selective detection of CN– in both colorimetric and fluorescent signal channels. The recognition of CN– was through the nucleophilic reaction of CN– to C = C of probe R, which destroys π-conjugation and blocks the ICT effect of the probe, resulting in colorimetric and fluorometric responses. Probe R showed great sensitivity toward CN–, with large fluorescent emission (595 nm) and low detection limit (0.70 μM). Moreover, probe R can detect exogenous CN– in living cells.