A non-enzymatic fluorometric detection of cholesterol via micelle induced supramolecular assembly using thiazole derived molecule

In the present study, a chemosensor (TH) was developed for fluorometric detection of cholesterol. The chemosensor was synthesized by condensation reaction of 4-phenylthiazole-2-semicarbazide with 5-chlorosalicylaldehyde, and was successfully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS. The compound shows absorption at 282 nm, 334 nm and 384 nm region and exhibits strong emission at 441 nm upon excitation at 374 nm. The sensing studies show significant fluorescence quenching upon addition of cholesterol to TH solution in dimethyl formamide (DMF). The self-association tendency (micelle formation) of cholesterol molecule leads to the supramolecular assemblies of TH and cholesterol in DMF solution thereby quenching the fluorescence response. The intercalation of TH into the micelle of cholesterol was further confirmed by fluorescence anisotropy study wherein the anisotropy value gets significantly enhanced upon the addition of cholesterol to the solution of TH. The developed chemosensor exhibits high selectivity for cholesterol with the linear range of 66-830 mu M and a limit of detection (LOD) of 26 mu M.