"Turn-on" fluorescent dipodal chemosensor for nano-molar detection of Zn(2+): application in living cells imaging.

A malonohydrazide derivative bearing an imine and phenolic group was synthesized and had a high affinity and selectivity towards Zn(2+). The recognition properties of receptor 1 were evaluated using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. The 1:1 stoichiometry of 1.Zn(2+) was confirmed from job's plot, mass spectra and density functional theory (DFT). The detection of Zn(2+) in intracellular environment of HeLa cell through confocal microscopy was successfully applied for live cell imaging.