Highly selective and sensitive benzopyran-based fluorescent probes for imaging exogenous and endogenous peroxynitrite

Peroxynitrite is widely present in organisms and closely related to many pathophysiological functions. Therefore, it is of great physiological significance to develop capable probes for detecting ONOO-. In this work, a novel fluorescent probe B-Ch was designed based on the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect. By means of molecular engineering, the replacement from diethylamine group to hydroxyl group has improved the detection sensitivity of the probe. After the addition of ONOO-, the solution color and fluorescence showed noticeable changes, which were visible to the naked eye. The probe showed excellent advantages: visualization, good selectivity, low sensitivity (22.4 nM), good stability and biocompatibility, exogenous and endogenous imaging of ONOO- in HeLa cells.

Automated summary

A novel fluorescent probe B-Ch was designed based on the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect for detecting ONOO-. The detection sensitivity of the probe was improved by replacing the diethylamine group with a hydroxyl group through molecular engineering. After the addition of ONOO-, noticeable changes in solution color and fluorescence were observed, which were visible to the naked eye. The probe exhibited excellent advantages such as visualization, good selectivity, low sensitivity (22.4 nM), good stability and biocompatibility, and exogenous and endogenous imaging of ONOO- in HeLa cells.