Highly selective organic fluorescent probe for azide ion: formation of a “molecular ring”

Abstract

An indole based naphthalene derivative is reported as a highly selective fluorescent probe for azide ion in aqueous ethanol. The probe is applied for cell imaging of the N₃⁻ ion in contaminated living cells. Both experimental and theoretical studies have been performed to figure out the plausible mechanism of fluorescence enhancement of the probe upon binding with N₃⁻.