Optical sensing of sulfate by polymethinium salt receptors:: colorimetric sensor for heparin

Polymethinium salts based on substituted malondialdehyde have been prepared; the salt 9 with PEG substitution showed high selectivity for sulfate anions and heparin in aqueous medium at physiological condition; intracellular imaging of heparin-rich subcellular compartments was achieved with our polymethinium novel receptor 9 for cancer cell lines.