Cellular Detection of Hydrazine as Isoniazid Metabolite by a New Turn-On Fluorescent Probe: Synthesis, Live Cell Imaging and In Vitro Toxicity Studies

A new turn-on fluorescent probe 2-((pyren-3-yl) methyl) isoindoline-1,3-dione was synthesized in a single step, high yielding reaction to detect hydrazine in solution. This ligand is highly sensitive to detect hydrazine in micromolar (1.1 mu M) concentration in solution. It has high selectivity towards hydrazine compared to other analytes. Different biophysical experiments like hydrazine screening from both tap water and distilled water, vapour phase detection, anti-interference studies with different analytes also corroborate the phenomenon of selective detection of hydrazine by our ligand. NMR titration and mass spectrum established the mechanism of hydrazine sensing. In addition, the probe was successfully used to trap exogenously added hydrazine inside the cell, which was further utilized to study insitu hydrazine released from an anti-tubercular drug Isoniazid (INH), after its metabolism.