Recent Advances in Camphor-Derived Small-Molecule Organic Fluorescent Probes

Camphor, a naturally occurring bicyclic monoterpenoid, has attracted increasing interest as a structural scaffold for the construction of fluorescent probes owing to its rigid framework, facile functionalization, and favorable biocompatibility. In recent years, a variety of camphor-derived fluorescent probes have been developed for the detection of metal ions, reactive biological species, microenvironmental factors, and environmental contaminants. This review summarizes recent advances in camphor-based fluorescent probes reported from 2019 to early 2026. According to their target analytes, these probes are classified into four categories: metal cations, reactive biological species, microenvironmental factors, and environmental contaminants. Their molecular design strategies, synthetic routes, fluorescence sensing mechanisms, and representative analytical applications are systematically discussed. Representative sensing mechanisms, including photoinduced electron transfer (PET), intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), aggregation-induced emission (AIE), and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), are also introduced. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives for the development of camphor-based fluorescent probes are discussed, including fluorophore design, sensing mechanisms, near-infrared emission, and practical applications in complex biological and environmental systems. This review provides an overview of recent progress in camphor-based fluorescent probes and may serve as a useful reference for future research in this field.