A novel fluorescent probe for zinc ion based on boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophore

ZnAB has the combined structure of N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine as a specific chelater for Zn2+ and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-phenyl-boron dipyrromethene as a fluorophore. Complexation of ZnAB with Zn2+ produces a remarkable enhancement of fluorescence intensity. ZnAB has the advantages of less sensitivity to solvent polarity and pH than fluorescein-based Zn2+ probes. Furthermore, it is not influenced by other cations, such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, which exist at high concentrations under physiological conditions, even at 2.5 mm. The results show that ZnAB is a Zn2+ probe suitable for biological applications.