Design and characterization of 3-azidothalidomide as a selective hydrogen sulfide probe

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been recently recognized as an important signaling molecule in biological systems. Herein, we report the development of a fluorescence turn-on probe based on the structure of pomalidomide, a FDA approved drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Various characterizations demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity of this probe toward H₂S. Furthermore, the application of this probe to detect H₂S in living cells was confirmed by flow cytometry and fluorescence imaging studies.