A highly sensitive fluorescent probe for the detection of bisulfite ion and its application in living cells

A novel direct visualisation, fluorescent probe derived from coumarin for bisulfate ion detection has been designed and synthesized. This probe shows a rapid, high selectivity, and sensitivity in the detection of bisulfate ion. In a solution of DMSO:HEPES (1:9, v:v, 10 mM, pH 7.4) buffer containing the probe, the presence of HSO3- made the UV-vis absorption of the probe blue-shift from pink to yellow, and the fluorescence of the probe also changed from red to green. Other investigated analytes and ions did not disturb the determination of HSO3-. The reaction mechanism of the determination was proposed based on the nucleophilic attack toward electron-poor C = C bond of the probe. This probe has been successfully applied for determination of HSO3- in living cells. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.