Development of Two Efficient Dual‐Function Fluorescent Probes for Specific Recognition of Zn2+/H2S

• Published in: ChemistrySelect (Weinheim) Vol. 8; no. 8
• Main Authors: Pu, Yan‐Qing, Yu, Xiang‐Zhu, Yu, Mohan, Zhao, Zheng‐Jia, An, Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 23-02-2023
• Subjects: Coumarin; DFT; Dual-function; fluorescent probe; Zn2+ and H2S
• ISSN: 2365-6549; 2365-6549
• DOI: 10.1002/slct.202204458

In this paper, two dual function fluorescent probes P1 and P2 with obvious fluorescence spectrum change were developed for the detection of Zn2+ and H2S. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the detection mechanism. A further illustration of the fluorescence quenching mechanism was also studied by 1H NMR titration and UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy. Both probes are new compounds containing coumarin structure as fluorophore. They can quantitatively detect Zn2+ and H2S in the concentration range from 0 to 50 μM with excellent selectivity and anti‐interference ability over many metal ions or anions. Most worthy is that probes P1 and P2 have better cell permeability with lower cytotoxicity, which can be used for fluorescence detection in MCF‐7 cells, as well as the detection of exogenous Zn2+ in organisms.
Two dual function fluorescent probes P1 and P2 were designed and synthesized with theoretical calculations to specifically detect Zn2+ and H2S. Both of them have low detection limit and high sensitivity for detecting Zn2+ and H2S. They have good cell permeability and low toxicity, as well as the detection of exogenous Zn2+ in vivo cells.