Naphthalene-dicyanoisophorone hybrid fluorescent probe for detection of hypochlorite based on cyclization mechanism

Fluorescent probe is a powerful tool for studying hypochlorite (ClO − ) effects in biological systems. Here we reported a novel fluorescent probe ( E )-2-(5,5-dimethyl-3-(2-(2-(piperidin-1-yl)naphthalen-1-yl)vinyl)cyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)malononitrile NP , for the sensing of ClO − with a low detection limit (78 nM) and large Stokes shift (170 nm). Mechanism studies demonstrated an amine ring-forming process, resulting in a pyrrole ring structure that caused the fluorescence enhancement. Furthermore, NP was successfully used to imagine both endogenous and exogenous ClO − in living cells and mice. This study provided a new opportunity for construction of ClO − fluorescent probe application in biomedical imaging and biosensing. A highly specific fluorescent method for hypochlorite detecting has been reported. The responsiveness to hypochlorite is based on a tertiary amine ring-forming process, which providing a brand-new mechanism for sensing hypochlorite. This cell and living mice imaging indicating the good application prospects of the probe in biosensing and bioimaging. • A novel fluorescent probe for specific detection hypochlorite was developed. • The ring formation process is a brand-new mechanism for sensing hypochlorite. • The probe has been applied for imaging hypochlorite in live cells and mice.