Design, synthesis and applications of a coumarin based fluorescent probe for selective detection of hypochlorite ions and live cell imaging

Abstract

The immune system's protection against invasive microorganisms and other biological functions in living things depend heavily on hypochlorous acid (HOCl). For the sensitive detection of HOCl, a turn-on fluorescent probe (W-HOCl) has been developed. The probe is well characterized by ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, FTIR and HRMS. Through the oxidation of sulfide to sulfoxide caused by HOCl, the probe quickly identifies HOCl. The fluorescence was enhanced 42 times as a result of the reaction between W-HOCl and HOCl. The probe has excellent photophysical properties along with a detection limit as low as 6 nM. The imaging of HOCl in living cells showed the probe's potential as an HOCl biosensor. Therefore, the probe is predicted to be useful for the accurate detection of HOCl in complex biosystems.