A near-infrared BODIPY-based fluorescent probe for ratiometric and discriminative detection of Hg2+ and Cu2+ ions in living cells

Publication date: 1 June 2019

Source: Talanta, Volume 198

Author(s): Yan Huang, Chun-Feng Li, Wen-Jing Shi, Hui-Ya Tan, Zhi-Zhou He, Liyao Zheng, Fenggang Liu, Jin-Wu Yan

Abstract

A near-infrared distyryl boron dipyrromethene-based sensor bearing one bis(1,2,3-triazole)amino receptor has been synthesized. This probe selectively and quickly binds to Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions in CH₃CN/H₂O (5:1 v/v) and exhibits remarkably blue-shifted absorption and fluorescence bands due to the inhibition of the intramolecular charge transfer process. The fluorescence changes of this probe upon binding to Hg²⁺ or Cu²⁺ ion are totally different, undergoing a ratiometric fluorescence enhancement (for Hg²⁺) or a fluorescence quenching (for Cu²⁺) mechanism. The corresponding vivid color changes can be easily seen by the naked eye. This probe was further introduced into Hela cells for living cell imaging and found to discriminate Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions through two near-infrared fluorescence emission channels. These overall results indicate that this Click-derived near-infrared BODIPY-based probe is potentially useful for ratiometric and discriminative detection of Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions in solutions and living cells.

Graphical abstract

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