Ratiometric fluorescence imaging of cellular hypochlorous acid based on heptamethine cyanine dyes

A series of ratiometric probes based on heptamethine cyanine dyes for detecting hypochlorous acid have been developed. Here we present the synthesis, characterization and fluorescence properties of these probes. And it turns out that the probes are highly sensitive and selective toward hypochlorous acid. More importantly, the application in living cells for ratiometric imaging of hypochlorous acid has been achieved successfully.