A high performance Schiff-base fluorescent probe for monitoring Au(3+) in zebrafish based on BODIPY.

We designed and synthesized a mono-Schiff-base fluorescent probe (Probe 1) based on a boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dye. By investigating the recognition of Au(3+) through an irreversible C=N bond hydrolysis reaction, Probe 1 exhibited higher properties such as acting as a "naked eye" probe, stability to pH, fast-response of 90s, a lower detection limit of 60 nM, stronger antijamming capability, and better live-cells imaging with low cytotoxicity compared with other probes. Even in relatively high temperatures, Probe 1 maintained its own excellent characteristic. More importantly, this is the first time that one chemosensor could be successfully applied to Au(3+) imaging in zebrafish, which demonstrated the performance that Probe 1 exhibited wonderful organism permeability.