A new Easily Synthesized Coumarin-based Chemodosimeter for Fluorescent Imaging of Copper Ions in Living Cells

We present a new coumarin-based chemodosimeter 1 that can be easily synthesized and used as a colorimetric and fluorescence sensor for selective detection of Cu²⁺ in an aqueous solution. Chemodosimeter 1 is visual and fluorescence responses to a variety of different competing metal ions were also investigated. In an aqueous solution (DMSO/H₂O = 9/1, v/v, buffered with HEPES pH = 7.4), Chemodosimeter 1 exhibits a selective response to Cu²⁺ ions that is unique from other cations via diverse color changes and fluorescence enhancement. Chemodosimeter 1 may also be used to detect Cu²⁺ ions selectively in vitro by creating a nice image of biological organelles using live-cell imaging fluorescence microscopy studies.