A thiol-thiosulfonate reaction providing a novel strategy for turn-on thiol sensing

The first thiol-specific turn-on probe, BODIPY-TS, utilizing a thiosulfonate scaffold as the thiol recognition unit was reported. BODIPY-TS displays low toxicity, and features high sensitivity, fast response and quantitative reaction towards thiols. The structural novelty of BODIPY-TS would guide the development of novel thiol probes.