Preparation of a fluorescent sensor based on BODIPY-functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and spectroscopic study of the Cd2+ and Zn2+ complex formation

A new fluorescent chemosensor 1, which based on hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles covalently functionalized with a difluoroboron dipyrromethene, has been prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the fluorescent dye 3-chloro-4,4-difluoro-8-(4-tolyl)-5-[bis(pyridine2-ylmethyl)amino]-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (2) with surface-modified HA nanoparticles. The HA particles were prepared by using SiO₂ as templates (THA) with 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (THA-APTES). Substitution of the electron-withdrawing chlorine in 2 by an electron-donating amino group of HA changes the properties of the nanoparticles 1 and the corresponding fluorescent dye 2. Absorption and emission maxima of 1 in ethanol are red-shifted by 75 and 30?nm, respectively, in comparison with those of 2. In contrast to no selectivity of dye 2 for Cd²⁺ or Zn²⁺ in EtOH/H₂O (95/5?V/V) solutions, the nanofluorescent probe 1 forms 1?:?1 complexes with Cd²⁺ or Zn²⁺, producing an instant color change along with large hypsochromic shifts in the absorption and fluorescence spectra by 70 and 35?nm, respectively, and large cation-induced fluorescence amplifications.