Ultraviolet-visible light (UV-Vis)-reversible but fluorescence-irreversible chemosensor for copper in water and its application in living cells.

An ultraviolet-visible light (UV-Vis)-reversible but fluorescence-irreversible chemosensor was developed for the detection of copper. Coordination between the probe, 2-pyridylaldehyde fluorescein hydrazone (FHP), and Cu(2+) gave a reversible UV-Vis response, Storage of the probe-Cu complex resulted in hydrolytic cleavage of the N═C bond, which released the fluorophore (ring-opened fluorescein hydrazine) and gave irreversible fluorescence. Thus, FHP becomes a multifunctional chemosensor, and its reversibility can be controlled by the reaction time. Cu(2+) in living cells could be detected using FHP and general fluorescence methods.