Thiophene anchored naphthalene derivative: Cr3+ selective turn-on fluorescent probe for living cell imaging

A naphthalene-based thiophene derivative (L) can act as a Cr3+ selective turn-on fluorescence probe in aqueous methanol. The structure of L has been established from different spectroscopic data and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of L increases linearly from 1.0 x 10(-6) to 52 x 10(-6) M Cr3+ with a detection limit of 1.5 x 10(-7) M. L also exhibits good cell permeability and can detect intracellular Cr3+ in contaminated living cells.