A Phenyl Thioether‐Based Probe: Zn2+ Ion Sensor, Structure Determination and Live Cell Imaging†

Abstract

Abstract3,3′‐((1Z,1′Z)‐(((Propane‐1,3‐diylbis(sulfanediyl))bis(2,1‐phenylene))bis(azanyyldiene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(2‐hydroxy‐5‐methylbenzaldehyde) (H2‐SAP), characterized by different spectroscopic data, exhibits yellow emission (λem, 560 nm) when binds with Zn2+ in H2O‐MeOH (1:9 v/v, HEPES buffer, pH 7.4) in a mixture of seventeen biologically important other metal ions. The limit of detection (LOD) is 9.0 nM which is far below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended data. The composition of the complex, 1:1 Zn2+:SAP2−, is supported by Job's plot, ESI‐MS and single crystal X‐Ray crystallographic structure. Intracellular Zn2+ ion is detected in Vero Cells (African Green Monkey Kidney) by using the probe, H2‐SAP, in the cell lines under fluorescence microscope. The probe has successfully been applied to recover Zn2+ in surface water.