Ratiometric H₂S probe that can be recognized by the naked eye and its application in cell imaging

Abstract

A ratiometric dual-mode probe NI-SH based on 1,8-Naphthalimide was prepared for H₂S detection. When treated with H₂S, the fluorescence of NI-SH changes from blue (456 nm) to green (540 nm), and displays significant color variation (colorless to yellow) that can visible to the naked eye. Further investigation shows that the NI-SH has high sensitivity, selectivity, and low detection limit at about 0.2 μM, and with large Stokes shift (84 nm). The intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) response mechanism of NI-SH was further studied by analyzing the distributions of the molecular orbital. Besides, NI-SH exhibits a ratiometric fluorescence response in living Hela cells.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• H₂S
• fluorescent probe
• ratiometric
• naked eye
• cells imaging

Open Scholarship

This article has earned the Center for Open Science badges for Open Data, Open Materials and Preregistered through Open Practices Disclosure. The data and materials are openly accessible at 0000-0002-8504-4840, 0000-0002-8504-4840 and 0000-0002-8504-4840. To obtain the author's disclosure form, please contact the Editor.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the grant of Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden (No. PFGR202304).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Additional information

Funding

We are grateful for the grant of Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden (No. PFGR202304).