Construction and theoretical insights into the ESIPT fluorescent probe for imaging formaldehyde in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

We report the first ESIPT-based probe ABTB, for the highly sensitive and selective imaging of formaldehyde (FA). The various theoretical calculations have been systematically performed, and clearly unravel the lighting mechanism of the fluorescent probe for FA. Additionally, the probe was successfully applied in monitoring endogenous FA in the brain of AD mice.