A ditopic colorimetric sensor for fluoride ion based on thiourea mercury complex

A novel ditopic chromogenic receptor, N-5-(8-hydroxy)quinoline-N'-4'-nitro-phenyl thiourea (1), was synthesized. The metal complex 1-Hg(2+) showed sensitive and highly selective responses to F(-) over other anions such as CH(3)CO(2)(-), H(2)PO(4)(-), HSO(4)(-) and Cl(-). 1-Hg(2+)-F(-) complex formed, which promoted the intramolecular charge transfer and led to a dramatic spectral change. The color of 1-Hg(2+) solution changed from colorless to red upon addition of F(-). Thus, a colorimetric assay of F(-) was developed in acetonitrile by naked-eye detection. F(-) behaved linearly in the 8.0 x 10(-6) to 2.0 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) concentration range with LOD as 1.4 x 10(-6) mol L(-1).     

A fluorescent sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity for potassium in water

This communication describes a new optical sensor suitable for practical measurement of extracellular (serum or whole blood) potassium. The sensor responds rapidly and reversibly to changes in potassium concentrations typical of whole blood samples. No interferences from clinical concentrations of calcium or pH are observed, and the sodium interference is very minor. Excitation and emission occur in the visible light region. This new potassium sensor is currently used in the Roche OPTI CCA, a commercially available whole blood analyzer.     

A new fluorescent PET chemosensor for fluoride ions

A new anthracene derivative bearing two phenylurea group at the 1,8-position of anthracene shows a selective fluorescence quenching effect with fluoride ion via a PET mechanism.     

A blue fluorescent antibody-cofactor sensor for mercury

[reaction: see text] A chemically programmed antibody sensor, consisting of a stilbenyl boronic acid cofactor and monoclonal antibody EP2-19G2, provides a new method of mercury detection. The fluorescent antibody sensor generates an intense powder blue fluorescence when bound to the stilbenyl boronic acid cofactor; however, it is quenched in the presence of Hg(2+) ions. The EP2-19G2-cofactor biosensor provides micromolar sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg(2+) ions over a wide range of metal ions in aqueous solution.     

A semisynthetic fluorescent sensor protein for glutamate

We report the semisynthesis of a fluorescent glutamate sensor protein on cell surfaces. Sensor excitation at 547 nm yields a glutamate-dependent emission spectrum between 550 and 700 nm that can be exploited for ratiometric sensing. On cells, the sensor displays a ratiometric change of 1.56. The high sensitivity toward glutamate concentration changes of the sensor and its exclusive extracellular localization make it an attractive tool for glutamate sensing in neurobiology.     

A reaction-based chromogenic and fluorescent chemodosimeter for fluoride anions

An innovative trihexylsilylacetylene-containing BODIPY dye was designed and proved to be a highly selective, sensitive, and fast chromogenic and fluorescent chemodosimeter for fluorides.     

A ratiometric fluorescent viscosity sensor

The development of a dual probe that provides ratiometric measurements of fluid viscosity is described. The design is based on coupling of a primary fluorophore with viscosity-independent fluorescence emission (blue unit) with a secondary fluorophore that exhibits viscosity-sensitive fluorescent emission quantum yield (red unit). Excitation of the secondary fluorophore can be achieved via Resonance Energy Transfer. The ratio of the fluorescence emission of these fluorophores provides an accurate, ratiometric measurement of solvent viscosity.     

A polydiacetylene-based fluorescent sensor chip

Self-assembled diacetylene vesicles were spotted and immobilized on aldehyde-modified glass substrates using conventional microarray technology. Irradiation of the immobilized diacetylenes allowed generation of nonfluorescent "blue-phase" polydiacetylene (PDA) arrays. Specific interaction of the PDA vesicle arrays with carbohydrates or poly(acrylic acid) solutions afforded fluorescent profiles.     

A fluorescent polymeric heparin sensor

Linear copolymers have been developed which carry binding sites tailored for sulfated sugars. All binding monomers are based on the methacrylamide skeleton and ensure statistical radical copolymerization. They are decorated with o-aminomethylphenylboronates for covalent ester formation and/or alkylammonium ions for noncovalent Coulomb attraction. Alcohol sidechains maintain a high water solubility; a dansyl monomer was constructed as a fluorescence label. Statistical copolymerization of comonomer mixtures with optimized ratios was started by AIBN (AIBN=2,2'-azoisobutyronitrile) and furnished water-soluble comonomers with an exceptionally high affinity for glucosaminoglucans. Heparin can be quantitatively detected with an unprecedented 30 nM sensitivity, and a neutral polymer without any ammonium cation is still able to bind the target with almost micromolar affinity. From this unexpected result, we propose a new binding scheme between the boronate and a sulfated ethylene glycol or aminoethanol unit. Although the mechanism of heparin binding involves covalent boronate ester formation, it can be completely reversed by protamine addition, similar to heparin's complex formation with antithrombin III.     

An optical-fibre sensor for fluoride

The optical sensor is based on the formation of a fluoride ternary complex from an immobilized fluorescent binary zirconium-calcein blue chelate at pH 2.2. The enhanced fluorescence enables fluoride to be determined in the range 2.63 × 10^?5 ?4.21 × 10^?4 M (0.5–8.00 mg l^?1) with a limit of detection of 2.63 × 10^?5 M. The response of the sensor to fluoride is affected by ionic strength and temperature. The response time depends on the particle size and the packing density of the polymer (XAD-4) substrate used.     

A simple and efficient fluorescent sensor for histidine

A simple coordination complex terpyridine-CuCl(2) is found to be an efficient fluorescent sensor for histidine in aqueous solution with up to 1004 fold fluorescence enhancement.     

A practical enantioselective fluorescent sensor for mandelic acid

A novel optically active bisbinaphthyl fluorescent sensor, (S,S)- or (R,R)-1, is designed for the recognition of chiral alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids. A convenient method has been developed to synthesize this compound. It is observed that (S)-mandelic acid enhances the fluorescence intensity of the (S,S)-sensor significantly more than (R)-mandelic acid does. The enantioselective fluorescent response is confirmed with the observation of a mirror image relationship for the interaction of (S,S)- and (R,R)-sensors with mandelic acid. The enantioselectivity in fluorescence response [(I(S) - I(0))/(I(R) - I(0)) = 2.49] is quite high, which makes the sensor useful for practical application. The fluorescence intensity change of the sensor is found to be linearly related to the enantiomeric composition of mandelic acid. This sensor is potentially useful for the combinatorial search of chiral catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids.     

Highly emissive dimesitylboryl-substituted 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole derivatives: photophysical properties and efficient fluorescent sensor for fluoride anions

One symmetrical and two unsymmetrical dimesitylboryl-substituted BTD derivatives 1–3 were prepared through Pd(0)-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction. All these compounds display intense fluorescence not only in solution but also in the solid state due to steric bulkiness of the boryl group, which is effective to suppress the intermolecular interactions in the solid state. In addition, the boryl-substituted BTD 1 displays prompt fluorescence responses to fluoride ions with high sensitivity through the complexation of the boron center with fluoride, demonstrating its potential utility as fluorescent sensor for fluoride ions.     

A highly sensitive colorimetric and ratiometric sensor for fluoride ion

A new benzoimidazole-naphthalimide derivative 4 was synthesized and its photophysical properties were studied. This compound showed highly selectively and sensitive colorimetric and ratiometric sensing ability for fluoride anion.     

A fluorescent chemosensor for fluoride anions based on a hemicyanine dye

A hemicyanine dye with imidazole as the acceptor was designed and prepared as a chemosensor for fluoride anions. The experimental results demonstrated that it is a fluorometric probe for fluoride anion with good sensitivity and high selectivity. This probe showed obvious changes in UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra in the presence of fluoride anions, which are attributed to the deprotonation of N–H on the imidazole moiety with fluoride anions.     

A selective fluorescent sensor for detecting lead in living cells

We present the synthesis, properties, and biological applications of Leadfluor-1 (LF1), a new water-soluble, turn-on fluorescent sensor that is capable of selectively imaging Pb2+ in aqueous solution and in living cells. LF1 combines a fluorescein chromophore and a pseudocrown receptor to provide good selectivity for Pb2+ over a range of biologically and environmentally relevant metal ions in aqueous solution, with sensitivity to parts per billion EPA limits for allowable lead in drinking water. In addition to these attributes, imaging experiments further show that LF1 is the first small-molecule reagent that can be delivered into living cells and report changes in intracellular Pb2+ levels.     

A highly selective bifunctional luminescence probe for potassium and fluoride ions

A novel bifunctional molecule 1 by a combination of 1,3-alternate calix[4]-crown-5 and triarylborane moieties through alkynyl linkers has been designed and synthesized. Compound 1 shows intense fluorescence with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 0.70 in CH(2)Cl(2) solution and can serve as a bifunctional luminescent probe for potassium and fluoride ions with high sensitivity and selectivity.     

A highly enantioselective chiral Schiff-base fluorescent sensor for mandelic acid

A chiral Schiff-base compound, 4-methyl-2,6-bis-[(2-hydroxy-1-phenylethylimino)methyl]phenol, is found to act as highly enantioselective fluorescent agent for α-hydroxycarboxylic acid, e.g., mandelic acid. It is observed that, within a certain concentration range, one enantiomer of the chiral acid can increase the fluorescence intensity of the Schiff-base compound 122-fold while the other enantiomer enhances the intensity only 42-fold. Such highly enantioselective responses towards the chiral acid make the unusual Schiff-base compound attractive as a fluorescent sensor for determining the enantiomeric composition of α-hydroxycarboxylic acids.