Architecture of a novel NIR and switch-on fluorescent chemosensor based on mercapto propanehydrazide-functionalized chromenylium-cyanine for the quantification of mercury(II) in environment and living cells

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, 2024-12, Vol.329, p.125589, Article 125589
• Main Authors: Basan, Vuslat, Alcay, Yusuf, Ozdemir, Emre, Gunduz, Muhammed Ikbal, Kura, Berkehan, Tuzun, Nurcan Şenyurt, Cil, Canan, Kilic, Abdulhalim, Yilmaz, Ismail
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromenylium cyanine; Density Functional Theory; Hazardous; Living cells; Mercury; Near-IR probe
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.125589

[Display omitted] •A new mercapto propanehydrazide-modified chromenylium-cyanine sensor was constructed.•It showed colorimetric, fluorometric, and turn-on response to Hg2+ in the NIR region.•The trace quantification of Hg2+ ions in environmental samples and living cells is easily analyzed.•The interaction between the probe and Hg2+ was confirmed by HRMS, FT-IR, and DFT calculations.•New methods provide a solution to the common shortcomings of Hg2+ sensing. A novel probe NIR8 decorated with colorimetric, fluorometric, turn-on, and NIR properties was designed and synthesized using the chromenylium-cyanine platform for sensitive and selective quantification of Hg2+ in real samples. The interaction between the probe and Hg2+ resulted in the opening of the closed spirolactam ring of the chromenylium-cyanine platform, leading to a notable color shift from yellow to green. Concurrently, ratiometric spectral changes at 380 and 725 nm for UV–Vis and signal enhancement at 755 nm for fluorescence were observed. HRMS, FT-IR, and DFT calculations clarified the interaction between NIR8 and Hg2+, and Job’s method confirmed the 1:1 coordination ratio between them. The NIR8 probe operates properly in the range of 2.01 × 10−7–1.29 × 10−4 M (UV–Vis), 9.81 × 10−5–1.52 × 10−4 M (fluorescence), and 2.92 × 10−5 M to 1.16 × 10−4 M (smartphone application) with a low limit of detection (LOD) (4.93 × 10−8 M, 9.86 ppb) (UV–Vis), (1.13 × 10−8 M, 2.26 ppb) (fluorescence) and fast (15 s) response time. NIR8 was successfully used to quantify Hg2+ in tap water, lake water and drinking water. In addition, Hg2+ was detected both qualitatively and quantitatively in MCF-7 and NIH/3T3 cells.