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A new intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)‐based fluorescent probe for selective visualization of cyanide ion

  • Cuibing Bai,
  • Jie Zhang,
  • Wen Ma,
  • Junxiong Yao,
  • Qian Meng,
  • Zhenni Xia,
  • Dashuo Chen,
  • Shuping He,
  • Lin Zhang,
  • Changqing Qu,
  • Rui Qiao,
  • Zhen Yang,
  • Wei Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/VIW.20220068
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 3
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Fluorescent probes for detection of CN− still have many limitations, such as small Stokes shift, irreversible, and background interference, which hamper their applications for on‐site detection and bioimaging of CN−. In this work, we design a new CN−‐activatable fluorescent probe (named AHMM) containing an ESIPT (excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer) and hydrogen bond features, which show a large Stokes shift (225 nm) and molecular structural reversible detection. The probe AHMM exhibits an excellent selectivity for CN− without any interference from other anions in aqueous DMSO system. Furthermore, the mechanism of the interaction of AHMM with CN− is concluded by various experiments. The limit of detection of AHMM for CN− is calculated as low as 4.47 × 10−8 M, lower than the concentration of CN− deemed acceptable by WHO (World Health Organization). AHMM can recognize CN− in tap water quantitatively and on‐site by a smartphone APP. Moreover, food samples such as almond and cassava including CN− are visualized by fluorescence imaging. In addition, the probe shows practical applications of CN− imaging in cells and mice. This concept can be applied for designing multifunctional fluorescent probes with ESIPT and reversible characteristics for detection of CN−.

Keywords