6-Substituted quinoline-based ratiometric two-photonfluorescent probes for biological Zn2+ detection

Abstract

New ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probes are developed from 6-substituted quinolines for biological Zn²⁺ detection. They show large red shifts and good ratiometric responses upon Zn²⁺ binding. They also exhibit high ion selectivities and large two-photon absorption cross sections at nearly 720 nm. Because the new probes are cell-permeable, they can be used to detect intracellular zinc flux under two-photon excitation.