Molecular fluorescent probe for Zn2+ based on 2-(2-nitrostyryl)-8-methoxyquinoline

Mechanistic Innovations in Fluorescent Chemosensors for Detecting Toxic Ions: PET, ICT, ESIPT, FRET and AIE Approaches

Fluorescent chemosensors have become vital tools for detecting toxic ions due to their exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid response times. These sensors function through various mechanisms, each providing unique advantages for specific applications. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic innovations in fluorescent chemosensors, emphasizing five key approaches: Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET), Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT), Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), and Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT). We highlight the substantial progress made in developing these chemosensors, discussing their design principles, sensing mechanisms, and practical applications, with a particular focus on their use in detecting toxic ions relevant to environmental and biological contexts.

Study on the Development of a Cyclohexane Based Tripodal Molecular Device as "OFF-ON-OFF" pH Sensor and Fluorescent Iron Sensor

Background:

Iron is an essential transition metal which is indispensable for life processes like oxygen transport and metabolism, electron transfer etc. However, misregulated iron is responsible for disease like anemia, hemochromatosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. In order to encounter these diseases, a better understanding is needed of its role in misregulation. Fluorescent iron sensors could help provide this information. The new chemosensor developed by linking a cyclohexane unit with three 8-hydroxyquinoline provides selective detection of iron in numerous biological and environmental samples.

Methods:

The Uv-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with pH measurements will mainly be used for the study. Theoretical studies at DFT level will be used to validate the method and explain the theory behind the experiments.

Results:

The study of electronic spectra of the chelator, HQCC, reveals the appearance of a band at 262 nm along with a weak band at 335 nm due to π- π* and n- π* transitions respectively. Upon excitation with 335 nm, the ligand fluoresces at 388 nm wavelength. The intensity of the emission was affected in presence of metal ions, with maximum deviation for Fe(III). Selectivity studies showed that Fe(III) is more selective as compared to the biologically relevant metal ions viz., Al(III), Fe(III), Cr(III), Co(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Mn(II) and Pb(II). pH dependent studies implied that the fluorescence intensity was highest at pH ~8.0, whereas maximum quenching for iron-HQCC system was observed at pH 7.4. The binding studies from the B-H plot confirms the formation of 1:1 complex with association constant of 5.95 × 106. The results obtained from experiments were in agreement with that obtained from the DFT and TD-DFT studies.

Conclusion:

A novel tripodal chelator based on 8-hydroxyquinoline and symmetric cyclohexane scaffold was successfully developed. In addition to the excellence of the ligand to be employed as a promising sensitive fluorescent probe for easy detection of Fe3+ions at the physiological pH with very low concentration (7.5 x 10-5 molL-1), the new ligand can be used as an OFF-ON-OFF pH sensor. Fe(III) encapsulation along with 1:1 ML-complexation formation have been established. Theoretical studies confirm a d-PET mechanism for the fluorescence quenching. DFT studies revealed that the neutral form of the ligand is less reactive than its protonated or the deprotonated form.

A novel pyrene-based selective colorimetric and ratiometric turn-on sensing for copper

Detection of copper attracts important in most environmental and biological systems. In this study, a simple probe BisPyTSC containing bis-pyrene core was synthesized, and cation binding and sensing properties were studied using colorimetric and fluorometric detection. The research indicated that the specific ligand affinity for Cu²⁺ ions results in drastic color and spectral changes. According to the data obtained, while the peak intensity increases at 376 nm, the peak intensity decreased at 280 nm in the absorption spectrum of BisPyTSC and an increase in fluorescence intensity of BisPyTSC was observed in the presence of Cu²⁺ ions. The binding ratio of BisPyTSC to Cu²⁺ was found to be 1:1 according to Job's plot experiments. The binding constant was calculated using the Benesi-Hildebrand equation and found to be 3.26 × 10⁴ M^-1. Based on these concentration dependent fluorescence changes, the limit of detection (LOD) value was calculated to be 14.5 μM for Cu²⁺, which is the range of copper that should be in the blood (11.8-23.6 μM). As a result of all these studies, we can understand that BisPyTSC is a good selective candidate turn-on sensor that can be used for Cu²⁺ detection.

A hexa-quinoline basedC3-symmetric chemosensor for dual sensing of zinc(ii) and PPi in an aqueous mediumviachelation induced “OFF–ON–OFF” emission

“OFF–ON–OFF” luminescence switching behavior of a hexa-quinoline based sensor towards Zn²⁺and PPi in an aqueous buffer medium is demonstrated.

Quinoline benzimidazole-conjugate for the highly selective detection of Zn(ii) by dual colorimetric and fluorescent turn-on responses

A quinoline benzimidazole-conjugate (QBC) has been synthesized for the highly selective detection of Zn(ii) both by colorimetry and fluorimetry.

Optical sensor: a promising strategy for environmental and biomedical monitoring of ionic species

In this review, we cover the recent developments in fluorogenic and chromogenic sensors for Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺, Zn²⁺and Hg²⁺.

Combining the PeT and ICT mechanisms into one chemosensor for the highly sensitive and selective detection of zinc

A novel fluorescent sensor (ZS1) based on the dual-mechanism of PeT/ICT for the highly sensitive and selective detection of Zn²⁺was designed and synthesized.

A quinoline derivative as an efficient sensor to detect selectively Al³⁺ ion

A quinoline-based Schiff base 1 has been utilized as a fluorescence chemosensor for the selective detection of Al(3+). The receptor 1 exhibited a high association constant (3.67 × 10(5) M(-1)) with submicromolar detection limit (0.18 ppm) towards Al(3+) in CH3CN solution.

Substituent-dependent fluorescent sensors for zinc ions based on carboxamidoquinoline

A series of carboxamidoquinoline-based fluorescent sensors (the AQZ family) were synthesized and characterized. The AQZ family members were highly soluble in water and showed good selectivity for Zn(2+)via enhanced fluorescence in aqueous buffer solution. Fluorescence signals could be tuned from dual-wavelength ratiometric changes to changes in the intensity of a single wavelength upon binding Zn(2+) through the introduction of different substituents onto the quinoline ring. Concentrations of free Zn(2+) of 10(-5)-10(-6) M could be detected using the sensors. Changes of substituents and their positions on the quinoline ring influenced the sensitivity for Zn(2+), but had little effect on Zn(2+) affinities.