A novel nitrogen heterocycle platform-based highly selective and sensitive fluorescence chemosensor for the detection of Al 3+ 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 Al 3+ than other commonly coexistent metal ions in C 2 H 5 OH/H 2 O media (pH = 7.2). Moreover, the large binding constant (3.44 × 10 14 M -1 ) between Al 3+ 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 Al 3+ .