Single-Atom Switching as a General Approach to Designing Colorimetric and Fluorogenic Probes for Mercury Ions

By performing a single-atom replacement within common fluorophores, we have developed a facile and general strategy to prepare a broad-spectrum class of colorimetric and fluorogenic probes for the selective detection of mercury ions in aqueous environments. Thionation of carbonyl groups from existing fluorophore cores results in a great reduction of fluorescence quantum yield and loss of fluorescence emission. The resulting thiocaged probes are efficiently desulfurized to their oxo derivatives in the presence of mercury ions, leading to pronounced changes in chromogenic and fluorogenic signals. Because these probes exhibit high selectivity, excellent sensitivity, good membrane-permeability, and rapid responses towards mercury ions, they are suitable for visualization of mercury in both aqueous and intracellular environments.