Selective perborate signaling by deprotection of fluorescein and resorufin acetates.

The acetate derivatives of fluorescein and resorufin exhibited a prominent turn-on type signaling behavior toward BO(3)(-) ions over other common anions. Signaling is based on the selective deprotection of acetate groups by perborate, which resulted in significant chromogenic and fluorogenic signaling. Compound 1 also exhibited a pronounced perborate selectivity over other commonly used oxidants in 90% aqueous acetonitrile solution.