X. Ao, S. A. Bright, N. C. Taylor and R. B. P. Elmes
Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017,15, 6104-6108
DOI:
10.1039/C7OB01406F,
Communication
Two 2-nitroimidazole-1,8-naphthalimide conjugates, 1 and 2, have been synthesised as fluorescence probes for the detection of reductive stress in HeLa cells. The 4-substituted derivative 1 was shown to act as a highly sensitive and selective substrate for nitroreductase where it exhibited a clear blue to green ratiometric fluorescence response visible to the naked eye. Moreover, biological studies demonstrated 1 could be activated in cellulo where the impact of reductive stress was easily monitored using confocal microscopy and flow cytommetry.