A Highly Selective Fluorescence “Turn-On” Probe for Cu(II) Based on Reaction and Its Imaging in Living Cells

A new
oxidative C–O bond cleavage reaction-based probe FluHMPP was
designed and prepared. FluHMPP displays excellent selective turn-on
fluorescence response for CuII in aqueous solution under
visible light excitation. The cleavage products are fully characterized.
Fluorescein fragment is further oxidized to highly fluorescent MFME
(3′-O-methylfluorescein methyl ester), and
benzyl ether of imine fragment has been transformed to carboxyl. Confocal
microscopy experiments have demonstrated that FluHMPP could also be
used in live cells for the detection of CuII.