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A Highly Selective “Turn-on” Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Fe3+ in Cells

Journal of Fluorescence volume 29, pages 425–434 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

A new “turn-on” fluorescent probe Py based on rhodamine and piperonaldehyde was designed and synthesized for detecting Fe3+ in cells. The free probe Py was non-fluorescent. While only upon addition of Fe3+, the significant increase of the fluorescence and color were observed which could be visible directly by “naked-eye”. The probe Py shows high selectivity and sensitivity for Fe3+ over other common metal ions in EtOH-H2O (3/2, v/v) mixed solution. The association constant and the detection limit were calculated to be 4.81 × 104 M−1 and 1.18 × 10−8 mol/L respectively. The introduction of piperonaldehyde unit could increase probe rigidity which could enhance its optical properties. Meanwhile, the binding mode between Py and Fe3+ was found to be a 1:1 complex formation. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed which would further confirm the recognition mechanism between probe Py and Fe3+. In addition, the probe has been proved to be reversible for detecting Fe3+. Moreover, the probe Py was used to detect Fe3+ in cells successfully.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no.21042002).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710127, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaorui Cao, Feifei Zhang, Yinjuan Bai & Xiaohu Ding

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  1. Xiaorui Cao
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Correspondence to Yinjuan Bai.

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Cao, X., Zhang, F., Bai, Y. et al. A Highly Selective “Turn-on” Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Fe3+ in Cells. J Fluoresc 29, 425–434 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-019-02351-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-019-02351-x

Keywords

  • Fluorescent probe
  • Rhodamine
  • Fe3 +
  • Cell imaging
  • DFT calculations