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Rhodamine-Based Cu2+ -Selective Fluorosensor: Synthesis, Mechanism, and Application in Living Cells

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Abstract

A rhodamine B-based fluorescence probe (1) for the sensitive and selective detection of Cu2+ ion has been designed and synthesized using pyridine moiety. The optical properties of this compound have been investigated in acetonitrile-water binary solution (7:3 v/v). Compound 1 is found to be an excellent sensor for a biologically/physiologically very important transition metal ion (Cu2+) using only the two very different modes of measurements (absorption and emission); one case displayed intensity enhancement whereas in other case showed intensity depletion (quenching). A mechanistic investigation has been performed to explore the static nature of quenching process. The sensor has been found to be very effective in sensing Cu2+ ion inside living cells also.

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Acknowledgments

This work was fully supported by DST, Govt. of India (No. SR/FT/CS-047/2008). The authors are also thankful to Dr. A. K. Patra and Dr. D. Sukul for fruitful discussion. We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. Anjil Srivastava and Minati Behra (Dept. of Biotechnology NIT Durgapur) for fluorescence image recording.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, W.B, India, 713209

    Anindita Sikdar, Swapnadip Roy, Soma Sarkar & Sujit S. Panja

  2. Department of Chemistry, MUC Women’s College, Burdwan, W.B, India, 713104

    Kakali Haldar

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  1. Anindita Sikdar
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  2. Swapnadip Roy
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  3. Kakali Haldar
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  4. Soma Sarkar
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  5. Sujit S. Panja
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Correspondence to Sujit S. Panja.

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Sikdar, A., Roy, S., Haldar, K. et al. Rhodamine-Based Cu2+ -Selective Fluorosensor: Synthesis, Mechanism, and Application in Living Cells. J Fluoresc 23, 495–501 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-013-1169-y

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