Xanthone based Pb2+ selective turn on fluorescent probe for living cell staining

Abstract

A xanthone based Pb²⁺ selective turn-on fluorescent probe (L) was designed, synthesized, and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. Binding of L to Pb²⁺ induced significant change in the absorption and/fluorescence properties. Other common cations, viz. Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ag⁺, Mn²⁺, Hg²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Cr³⁺ did not interfere. The limit of detection of the method was 1.8 × 10⁻⁷ M. L can detect intra-cellular Pb²⁺ in living cells.