Glowing discoveries: Schiff base-cyanostilbene probes illuminating metal ions and biological entities

Schiff bases featuring cyanostilbene units have emerged as versatile and highly effective probes for the selective detection of various metal ions as well as biologically important species. This review comprehensively highlights recent advances in the development and application of the probes, which exhibit remarkable Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT), and Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) properties. These unique structural characteristics facilitate their potential applications in the detection of biologically important metal ions such as Zn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Furthermore, these probes have demonstrated significant potential in the recognition of vital biological species, including arginine, hydrazine and hypochlorite (ClO^-). The present review discusses the underlying detection mechanisms, emphasizing the role of the Schiff base and cyanostilbene moieties for the selective detection of particular biologically important entities. Moreover, this discussion highlights the practical applications, problems, and future directions in this fast-growing field, emphasizing the vital importance of these probes in both analytical chemistry and bioassays.