Research Progress in Design, Synthesis and Application of Benzothiazole-Based Fluorescent Probes

Benzothiazole group is of characteristic fluorescence, and each also contains two heteroatoms (N and S). Hence, benzothiazole group is always viewed as fluorophore and recognition moiety in structure of fluorescent probes, playing an essential role on provision of fluorescence signal and binding sites. Recently, utilizing these properties of benzothiazole moiety to design and synthesize better fluorescent probes has gradually become one of focuses in fluorescent detection research. Classifying benzothiazole-based fluorescent probes into four main categories according to different analytes, such as metal cations, anions, sulfur-containing compounds and other species, the design, synthesis, detecting mechanism and relevant application of these probes are reviewed. And their development tendency in the future is prospected.