A ratiometric fluorescence probe based on a novel recognition mechanism for monitoring endogenous hypochlorite in living cells.

ABSTRACT

A ratiometric fluorescence probe (named ZOC) for the fast detection of HClO/ClO- was constructed by coumarin (donor) and pyridinium (acceptor) based on Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) platform. ZOC possessed red emission signal (610 nm), large Stocks shift (190 nm), high energy transfer efficiency (95.3%), high selectivity and sensitivity, low detection limit (25 nM), wider detection range (from 25 nM to 30 µM), rapid response (within 13 S), and good biocompatibility. It was very interesting that the recognition mechanism involved a new organic reaction in which olefin double bond reacted first with HClO/ClO- regioselectively, followed by cyclization. ZOC was successfully used to the real time detection of endogenous HClO/ClO- in RAW 264.7 cells.