A highly sensitive fluorescent probe for HClO and its application in live cell imaging.

A new rhodamine-based probe 1 was designed and synthesized as a new fluorescent molecular probe for HClO in PBS buffer at physiological condition. The free probe 1 almost nonfluorescence, however, a drastic enhancement of fluorescence intensity was observed in the presence of HClO. The new probe 1 exhibits good sensitivity and selectivity for HClO over other reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species in PBS buffer, and the probe was successfully applied to image endogeneous HClO in the living cells.