Selective detection of pyrophosphate anion by zinc ensemble of C3-symmetric triaminoguanidine-pyrrole conjugate and its biosensing applications

A new-fangled C-3-symmetric triaminoguanidine-pyrrole conjugate has been constructed and utilized for sensing applications. The probe selectively detects zinc ions (Zn2+) by colorimetric as well as turn-on fluorescent manner. Further, the in-situ formed zinc ensemble displays turn-off fluorescence response towards the pyrophosphate anion (PPi) via displacement approach. Emissive off-on-off sensing characteristics of the probe has been successfully exploited to construct the INHIBIT logic gate, coding/decoding of messages and in vivo imaging of Zn2+/PPi in zebrafish larvae. Further, PPi detection characteristics of zinc ensembles were established for the sensing of PPi discharged from DNA synthesis and other biological reactions. (c) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.