Anthracene excimer-based "turn on" fluorescent sensor for Cr(3+) and Fe(3+) ions: Its application to living cells

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 158; pp. 63 - 69
• Main Authors: Erdemir, Serkan, Kocyigit, Ozcan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Anthracenes - chemistry; Benzothiazoles - chemistry; Cell Line, Tumor; Chromium - analysis; Chromium - chemistry; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; Humans; Iron - analysis; Iron - chemistry; Fluorescent; Anthracene; Trivalent; Benzothiazole; Sensor
• ISSN: 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.05.017

A novel anthracene based fluorescent probe containing benzothiazole group (BFA) was designed and synthesized. The cation binding properties of BFA were studied in the presence of various cations. Both UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopic studies indicated that BFA was highly sensitive and selective toward trivalent cations (Cr(3+) and Fe(3+)), while there was no response to monovalent, divalent cations and also Al(3+) ion. The interaction of BFA with Cr(3+) and Fe(3+) caused a significant enhancement in emission intensity due to the combination of a unique anthracenyl static excimer formation, the restricted C=N isomerization and the suppression of highly efficient photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. The detection limits of BFA for Cr(3+) and Fe(3+) were 0.46 and 0.45µM, which presented a pronounced sensitivity toward Cr(3+) and Fe(3+), respectively. Also, possible utilization of BFA as bio-imaging fluorescent probe to detect Cr(3+) and Fe(3+) in human prostate cancer cell lines was observed by confocal fluorescence microscopy.