Fluorescent Cu(II) complex as chemosensor for the detection of L-Aspartic acid with high selectivity and sensitivity

3-methoxysalicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (PL) was used as chemosensor for the detection of various cations (chloride salts). Among them, Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions showed drastic decrease in their fluorescence intensity and colorimetric titrations. Green microcrystalline product (CuPL) was obtained with Cu2+ ion, which was confirmed by spectroscopic studies and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. CuPL was subjected to study as fluorescence probe for sensing L-amino acids, in which it showed high selectivity and sensitivity for L-aspartic acid (CuPLAA) with 'turn-on' fluorescence. The detection limit for L-Aspartic acid reached the value of 8.7449 x 10(-8) M (0.0874 mu M). In vitro studies were carried out for PL, CuPL, CuPLAA against human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC 1) and human colorectal cancer cells (HT-29).