Dual signaling of m-chloroperbenzoic acid by desulfurization of thiocoumarin

The chemosignaling of widely used peracid oxidant of m-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA) by the selective desulfurization of thiocoumarin was investigated. Thiocoumarin was efficiently converted into its corresponding coumarin by the reaction with mCPBA, and resulted in a pronounced fluorescent turn-on type signaling. The conversion also provided a significant change in absorption behavior which allowed a ratiometric analysis. The effective signaling could be used as a convenient determination method for mCPBA in aqueous environment.