A novel “off–on” colorimetric and fluorescent rhodamine-based pH chemosensor for extreme acidity

• We designed a novel “off–on” colorimetric and fluorescent pH chemosensor.
• The probe displayed strong fluorescence and absorption enhancement response to strongly acidic pH.
• The optical property response to pH is reversible, without interference from common metal ions and environmental factors.
• The probe can be used as the indictors for the extreme acidity in E. coli.

A novel “off–on” colorimetric and fluorescent rhodamine analogue was synthesized and characterized, and used to monitor extreme acidity (below pH 3.5) via the photophysical response to pH. The colorless spirocyclic structure at high pH (pH ⩾ 7.0) opened to the colored and highly fluorescent form at very low pH (pH < 3.0). This sensitive pH probe was characterized with short response time, good reversibility and no interaction with interfering metal ions, and the quantitative relationship between the fluorescence intensity and pH value was consistent with the equilibrium equation pH = pKa − log[(Imax − I)/(I − Imin)]. The fluorescent response to strong acidity was further verified by fluorescent imaging of bacteria, Escherichia coli, which contributed to the development of more useful colorimetric and fluorescent sensors based on the rhodamine platform for measuring intracellular pH in extremely acidic conditions.

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