Phosphorogenic sensors for biothiols derived from cyclometalated iridium(III) polypyridine complexes containing a dinitrophenyl ether moiety

We report the design of three cyclometalated iridium(III) polypyridine complexes containing a 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether moiety as sensors for biothiols. One of the complexes was demonstrated to serve as a phosphorogenic intracellular sensor for biothiols including glutathione and hydrogen sulfide.146