Novel fluorescent probe for sequential recognition of Zn2+ and pyrophosphate in aqueous based on aggregation-induced emission

Qinghong Bai; Yu Xia; Guangyan Liang; Chenhui Wang; Carl Redshaw; Xin Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.saa.2023.122585

Novel fluorescent probe for sequential recognition of Zn²⁺ and pyrophosphate in aqueous based on aggregation-induced emission

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2023 Jul 5:295:122585. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122585. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

Authors

Qinghong Bai¹, Yu Xia², Guangyan Liang², Chenhui Wang¹, Carl Redshaw³, Xin Xiao¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
² The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550014, China.
³ Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.

PMID: 36917871
DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122585

Abstract

A new fluorescent probe (E)-4-(4-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)styryl)-1-dodecylpyridin-1-ium (TPy-SD), with the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property in aqueous solution, has been synthesized and characterized. The new probe, TPy-SD exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards Zn²⁺ with a relatively low detection limit (1.76 × 10^-7 M). The addition of Zn²⁺ is thought to disrupt the AIE property of TPy-SD, thereby leading to a fluorescence blue shift. Interestingly, the complex of probe TPy-SD with Zn²⁺ (Zn (II) TPy-SD), with molar ratio of 1:1, can be used as a simple, sensitive, and rapid means for the detection of pyrophosphates (PPi) in solution (water/DMSO = 99:1). As evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, this detection is thought to be due to the strong affinity between PPi and Zn²⁺, which brings out Zn²⁺ from the coordination cavity of chemical sensor TPy-SD, thus realizing the detection and recognition of PPi. Therefore, the new AIE fluorescent probe can be used as a dual probe for the detection of cations and anions.

Keywords: Aggregation-induced emission (AIE); Fluorescent probe; PPi; Zn(2+).