A novel water-soluble perylenetetracarboxylic diimide as a fluorescent pH probe: Chemosensing, biocompatibility and cell imaging

Herein we pay attention to the design, synthesis and sensor activity of a novel biocompatible perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDI) pH-probe in water. The synthesized compound shows selective fluorescence signalling properties as a function of pH (pK(a) value of 6.35 +/- 0.02) which makes the probe suitable for pH determination in the physiological range. Thus prepared water soluble fluorescent system demonstrate low cytotoxicity to L929 cell lines from 330 mu M to 1.3 mu M and cell permeability in the lower concentration range. That findings show the high potential of the newly prepared PDI probe for monitoring of pH variations in bio-samples.