A novel nitrogen heterocycle platform-based highly selective and sensitive fluorescence chemosensor for the detection of Al3+ and its application in cell imaging†
Abstract
In the study, a highly selective and sensitive fluorescence sensor derived from nitrogen heterocycle was synthesized and characterized. By the fluorescence experiments, it was found to show a higher response toward Al3+ than other commonly coexistent metal ions in C2H5OH/H2O media (pH = 7.2). Moreover, the large binding constant (3.44 × 1014 M−1) between Al3+ and the sensor was calculated by fluorescence titration experiment. In addition, the synergistic effect mechanism due to photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and CN isomerization was deduced according to the fluorescence behavior. In addition, the fluorescence imaging in living cells was studied systemically, which exhibited high fluorescence sensing activity toward Al3+.