A “turn-on” fluorescent chemosensor for aluminum ion and cell imaging application

• A simple and efficient chemosensor HPIN is designed and synthesized.
• The chemosensor has high selectivity and sensitivity for Al3 +.
• It is a fluorescence “off–on” switch for Al3 +.
• The coordination mode of HPIN with Al3 + is a 1:1 binding stoichiometry.
• Potential utilization of HPIN as intracellular sensors of Al3 + was examined.

A simple and efficient fluorescent chemosensor for Al3 + is reported in the paper. The chemosensor is obtained by dehydration reaction of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-aminophenol. The chemosensor has high selectivity and sensitivity for Al3 + and displays fluorescence “off–on” switch signal. The detection limit of the chemosensor for Al3 + can reach 1.0 × 10− 7 M in DMSO/H2O (1:9, v/v) solution. The mass spectra and Job's plot analysis confirm the 1:1 stoichiometry between chemosensor and Al3 +. Potential utilization of the probe as an intracellular sensor of Al3 + in human cancer (HiSa) cells is also examined by confocal fluorescence microscopy.

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