A fast-response, highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for the ratiometric imaging of hydrogen peroxide with a 100 nm red-shifted emission

Abstract

Recently, growing attention has been paid to the accurate determination of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) for elucidating its detailed biological function in physiology and pathology. A fluorescence method with the help of a fluorescent probe is the preferred technique for in situ visualization of biologically important species in vivo, even in single living cells. In the present manuscript, we developed a simple, fast response and highly selective fluorescent probe (1) with a receptor of the boronate moiety for the ratiometric imaging of H₂O₂ in living cells. Probe 1 could quantifiably detect H₂O₂ in the range of 18–540 μM by a ratiometric fluorescence spectroscopy method with a detection limit of 4 μM. Importantly, probe 1 exhibited 81 nm red-shifted absorption spectra accompanied by the color changes from colorless to yellow, and 100 nm red-shifted emission spectra upon addition of H₂O₂. Thus, 1 can serve as a “naked-eye” probe for H₂O₂. Preliminary bioimaging application and low cytotoxicity investigations further demonstrated that the proposed probe would be of great benefit to biomedical researchers for investigating the detailed biological function of H₂O₂ in biological systems.