A selective fluorescent 'turn-on' sensor for recognition of Zn(2+) in aqueous media

A new rhodamine-based fluorescent probe 'RhAP' was synthesized and successfully characterized using FT-IR, (13)C NMR and (1)H NMR spectroscopies, LC-MS/MS spectrometry and elemental analysis. The RhAP, a colorless and non-fluorescent compound, showed a selective fluorescent response and colorimetric change for Zn(2+) in HEPES buffer (10mM, EtOH:water, 2:1, v/v, pH7.2). Upon the addition of two equivalents of Zn(2+) to a solution of RhAP, a nearly 35-fold enhancement of the fluorescence intensity, with an emission maximum at 578 nm, was observed in comparison to the sensor alone under the same experimental conditions. The complex formation between RhAP and Zn(2+) was found to have a 1:1 ratio based on calculations obtained from Job's plot and the mole ratio plot methods. The results showed that RhAP can be used as an effective fluorescent probe for selective detecting of Zn(2+) in an aqueous medium.