A novel colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent Cu2+ sensor based on hydrazone bearing 1,8-naphthalimide and pyrrole moieties

• A new 1,8-naphthalimide-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for Cu2+ has been developed.
• Response of probe to Cu2+ is an electrophilic substitution reaction.
• The probe has been used for imaging of Cu2+ in living cells.

A 1,8-naphthalimide hydrazone derivative bearing a pyrrole unit is a highly selective ratiometric fluorescent Cu2+ probe used to monitor intracellular Cu2+ in HeLa cells. This probe functions via a unique hydrolysis mechanism through Cu2+-promoted electrophilic substitution. Binding is confirmed through UV–vis absorption, fluorescence measurements, mass spectroscopy, IR, X-ray single crystal diffraction, and DFT calculation.

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