Red and blue emitting fluorescent probe for cyanide and hypochlorite ions: Biological sensing and environmental analysis

Excessive levels of hypochlorite and cyanide ions are considered as the major threats towards human health and environment. Therefore, many researchers make considerable effort to develop small molecules for the quick, accurate and easy detection of biologically and environmentally important anions. Moreover, design of multiple analyte sensing sensors is still challenging issue due to broad application area. In the present study, we introduce a novel chemosensor (P) based on benzothiazole and diaminomaleonitrile units for the detection hypochlorite and cyanide ions in biological and environmental samples. The detection ability of P was examined towards a pool of analyte containing anions, cations and reactive oxygen species. P undergoes sharp turn-on fluorescence enhancement induced by hypochlorite or cyanide over other anions. The fluorescence response is attributed to oxidation of imine bond by hypochlorite or deprotonation of –NH2 and –OH functions by cyanide. The selectivity and sensitivity data demonstrated by P over other anions renders it an excellent candidate for hypochlorite and cyanide detection in biological and aqueous environments. Moreover, this is the first study that single probe has an ability of detecting both hypochlorite and cyanide anions through two distinct sensing modes.