Selective interactions of trivalent cations Fe3+, Al3+ and Cr3+ turn on fluorescence in a naphthalimide based single molecular probe

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, 2016-01, Vol.153, p.465-470
• Main Authors: Janakipriya, Subramaniyan, Chereddy, Narendra Reddy, Korrapati, Purnasai, Thennarasu, Sathiah, Mandal, Asit Baran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fluorescence turn-on; Live cell imaging; Naphthalimide derivative; PET inhibition; Trivalent cations
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2015.08.044

Synthesis and fluorescence turn-on behavior of a naphthalimide based probe is described. Selective interactions of trivalent cations Fe3+, Al3+ or Cr3+ with probe 1 inhibit the PET operating in the probe, and thereby, permit the detection of these trivalent cations present in aqueous samples and live cells. Failure of other trivalent cations (Eu3+, Gd3+ and Nb3+) to inhibit the PET process in 1 demonstrates the role of chelating ring size vis-à-vis ionic radius in the selective recognition of specific metal ions. Through selective interactions, the trivalent cations Fe3+, Al3+ and Cr3+ turn on fluorescence by inhibiting PET operating in a naphthalimide based probe. [Display omitted] •A new single molecular multi-analyte probe 1 for the selective detection of Fe3+, Al3+ and Cr3+ ions is reported.•Fe3+, Al3+ and Cr3+ form a 1:1 complex with 1, inhibit the PET operating in 1, turn-on the fluorescence.•Competing monovalent, divalent and other trivalent metal cations do not interfere with the detection process.•Probe 1 is membrane permeable, non-lethal and useful for imaging intracellular Fe3+, Al3+ or Cr3+ levels in live cells.