A novel isophorone-based red-emitting fluorescent probe for selective detection of sulfide anions in water for in vivo imaging

The sulfide anion is significant in industrial processes, biology and environmental science. Hence, robust fluorescent sensors for sulfide which are water soluble and biocompatible are highly desirable. Here, we developed a novel red-emitting fluorescent probe (SP1) for the sulfide anion based on cleaving the dinitrobenzenesulfonate ester to restore the fluorescence, accompanied by a long wavelength emission at 644 nm. The detection process took place in 100% PBS buffer, which suggested it had excellent water solubility. Most importantly, the ability of SP1 to detect sulfide anions in living cells (MCF-7 cells) and zebrafish has also been proven.