A near-infrared squaraine dye as a latent ratiometric fluorophore for the detection of aminothiol content in blood plasma

Abstract

(Figure Presented) Hunt for thiols: A nucleophilic thiol attack on a weakly fluorescent near-infrared (NIR) squaraine dye results in a conjugation break to form an adduct that absorbs in the UV/Vis region and is highly fluorescent. This fluorophore allows the selective detection of thiols either by colorimetry or fluorescence (see picture). The probe is suitable for the detection and estimation of the total aminothiol content in human blood plasma. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.