A highly selective colorimetric and fluorescent probe Eu(tdl)2abp for H2S sensing: Application in live cell imaging and natural water

Abstract

Using 4-([2,2': 6', 2'- terpyridin] -4'-yl) -N, N-dimethylaniline (tdl) as auxiliary ligand and 6-azido-2,2'-bipyridine (abp) as recognition ligand, a europium complex fluorescent probe Eu(4-([2,2': 6', 2'-terpyridin] -4' -yl) -N, N-dimethylaniline)₂-6-azido-2,2'-bipyridine Eu(tdl)₂abp for efficient and specific recognition of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was successfully synthesized and characterized by NMR and MS. Eu(tdl)₂abp represented "on-off" fluorescence signals for H₂S and its color changes could be identified with naked eyes. Eu(tdl)₂abp had short response time (2 min) to H₂S, high selectivity and good anti-interference, large stokes shift (207 nm). In various samples, when H₂S existed, the azide group was reduced to amine group, resulting in closed fluorescence signal, and the fluorescence intensity reached the degree of quenching without being affected by other interference. At the same time, there was a good linear relationship between relative fluorescence intensity and H₂S concentration with the detection limit (LOD) of 0.64 μM. The sensing mechanism of Eu(tdl)₂abp to detect H₂S was characterized by ¹H NMR and HR-MS. Eu(tdl)₂abp was used with success for the sensitive detection of H₂S in natural water and living cells.

Keywords: Eu(tdl)(2)abp; H(2)S; Large stokes shift; Living cells; Natural water.