Rational design of phosphorescent chemodosimeter for reaction-based one- and two-photon and time-resolved luminescent imaging of biothiols in living cells.
A selective phosphorescent biothiols probe is synthesized based on Ir(III) complex 1, which has 2,2'-biquinoline as the N^N ligand for realizing the satisfied two-photon absorption cross-section and two-functionalized 2-phenylpyridine ligands with an α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety as the thiol reaction site. The one- and two-photon optical properties of 1 are investigated through UV-vis absorption spectrum and photoluminescence spectrum. This Ir(III) complex can act as an excellent one- and two-photon excited "OFF-ON" phosphorescent probe for biothiols based on the 1,4-addition of biothiol to α,β-unsaturated ketones. Moreover, one- and two-photon-induced luminescent imagings of biothiols in living cells are also realized. Furthermore, the experiments of time-resolved photoluminescence technique and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy demonstrate that 1 is able to detect biothiols in the presence of strong background fluorescence. In addition, probe 1 is adsorbed into the shell of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with core-shell structure to form a nanoprobe, which can realize the ratiometric detection of biothiols in absolute water solution and living cells based on two phosphorescent signals.
Center for Phosphorescent Optoelectronics (CPO), Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays and Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210046, P. R. China.
Wenjuan
W
Xu
Xin
X
Zhao
Wen
W
Lv
Huiran
H
Yang
Shujuan
S
Liu
Hua
H
Liang
Zhenzhen
Z
Tu
Hang
H
Xu
Weili
W
Qiao
Qiang
Q
Zhao
Wei
W
Huang
D006801:Humans; D007624:KB Cells; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D017785:Photons; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds
biosensors; fluorescence lifetime imaging; phosphorescence probes; photoluminescence