Coralyne cation, a fluorescent probe for general detection in planar chromatography

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Chromatography
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Fluorescence scanning densitometry is a powerful analytical technique.
• Existing probes like berberine cation and Reichardt's dyes have limitations in detecting non-fluorescent analytes.
• Coralyne cation has shown potential as a sensitive detection probe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the analytical viability of coralyne cation for high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) detection.
• To investigate the sensitivity of coralyne in detecting a wide range of analytes, including non-fluorescent compounds.
• To rationalize the observed fluorescent responses using a proposed interaction model.

Main Methods:

• High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) using silica gel plates.
• Impregnation of HPTLC plates with coralyne cation solution.
• Fluorescence scanning densitometry at a specific excitation wavelength to measure analyte-induced changes in coralyne emission.

Main Results:

• Coralyne cation enables sensitive detection of numerous analytes, including non-fluorescent substances like long-chain alkanes, alcohols, alkylbromides, and neutral lipids.
• The sensitivity of coralyne as a probe surpasses that of previously reported probes for these analytes.
• Observed fluorescent responses are explained by a model balancing radiative and non-radiative processes, with specific interactions leading to fluorescence quenching.

Conclusions:

• Coralyne cation is a highly sensitive and versatile probe for HPTLC detection of diverse analytes.
• The coralyne-based HPTLC method offers superior sensitivity for non-fluorescent compounds compared to existing techniques.
• The proposed model provides a framework for understanding the interaction mechanism, suggesting broad applicability for various analyte types.