A water-soluble Switching on fluorescent chemosensor of selectivity to Cd2+

Compound 1, a new fluorescent chemosensor signaling via significantly enhanced fluorescence when bound with cation analytes, was synthesized and characterized. This fluorescent chemosensor exhibits its selectivity to Cd2+ among a series of cations in HEPES buffer solution. Its in vitro sensitivity to Cd2+ was demonstrated in the HK-2 cell line with use of confocal microscopy. The mechanistic selectivity and sensitivity of compound 1 to Cd2+ was discussed on the basis of fluorescence, H-1 NMR, and mass spectroscopic results.