Hydrazine selective dual signaling chemodosimetric probe in physiological conditions and its application in live cells

A rhodamineecyanobenzene conjugate, (E)-4-((2-(3',6'-bis(diethylamino)-3-oxospiro[ isoindoline-1,9'-xanthene]- 2-yl) ethylimino) methyl) benzonitrile (1), which structure has been elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, was synthesized for selective fluorescent turn-on and colorimetric recognition of hydrazine at physiological pH 7.4. It was established that 1 detects hydrazine up to 58 nM. The probe is useful for the detection of intracellular hydrazine in the human breast cancer cells MCF-7 using a fluorescence microscope. Spirolactam ring opening of 1, followed by its hydrolysis, was established as a probable mechanism for the selective sensing of hydrazine. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.