A novel nitrogen heterocycle platform-based highly selective and sensitive fluorescence chemosensor for the detection of Al3+ and its application in cell imaging

In the study, a highly selective and sensitive fluorescence sensor derived from nitrogen heterocycle was synthesized and characterized. By the fluorescence experiments, it was found to show a higher response toward Al3+ than other commonly coexistent metal ions in C2H5OH/H2O media (pH = 7.2). Moreover, the large binding constant (3.44 x 10(14) M-1) between Al3+ and the sensor was calculated by fluorescence titration experiment. In addition, the synergistic effect mechanism due to photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and C=N isomerization was deduced according to the fluorescence behavior. In addition, the fluorescence imaging in living cells was studied systemically, which exhibited high fluorescence sensing activity toward Al3+.