A selective turn-on fluorescent sensor for FeIII and application to bioimaging

Based on the spirolactam (nonfluorescence) to ring-open amide (fluorescence) equilibrium, a novel compound FD1 was demonstrated as a turn-on fluorescent sensor for Fe3+ over other metal ions. Moreover, fluorescent microscopy experiments further established that FD1 could be used for sensing Fe3+ within living cells.