An experimental and computational study on naphthylideneimine based pH sensitive fluorescence probe for zinc

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensors
• Fluorescent Probes
• Metal Ion Detection

Background:

• Rational design of chelating fluorescent sensors for metal ion detection is a significant area of research.
• Zinc (Zn²⁺) plays crucial roles in biological systems, making its detection important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel naphthylideneimine-based fluorescent probe for sensitive and selective detection of Zn²⁺.
• To investigate the sensing mechanism and potential applications of the probe in biological imaging.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of the naphthylideneimine-based probe.
• Fluorescence spectroscopy to determine sensitivity, selectivity, and limit of detection (LOD).
• Determination of formation constant (logK_a) and theoretical studies using Density Functional Theory (DFT).
• Yeast cell imaging experiments.

Main Results:

• The probe exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for Zn²⁺ with a ~34-fold fluorescence enhancement.
• The limit of detection (LOD) for Zn²⁺ is 3.78 × 10^-7 mol L^-1.
• The formation constant (logK_a) is 4.45, and DFT calculations support the experimental findings.
• The probe successfully monitored intracellular Zn²⁺ in yeast cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed naphthylideneimine-based probe is a promising tool for sensitive and selective Zn²⁺ detection.
• The probe's ability to perform intracellular imaging highlights its potential for biological applications.
• This work contributes to the development of advanced fluorescent sensors for biological metal ion analysis.