Electrophilic Cyanate As a Recognition Motif for Reactive Sulfur Species: Selective Fluorescence Detection of H2S

An ESIPT-based fluorescent dye, 3-hydroxyflavone, is chemically masked with an electrophilic cyanate motif in order to construct a fluorescent probe for cellular sulfur species. This novel probe structure, displays an extremely fast, highly sensitive and selective '' turn-on '' type fluorescent response toward H2S. We have also documented its utility for imaging of H2S in the living cells.