A novel polynorbornene-based chemosensor for the fluorescence sensing of Zn2+ and Cd2+ and subsequent detection of pyrophosphate in aqueous solutions.

A hydroxyquinoline functionlized polynorbornene (P1) was designed and synthesized. In an aqueous solution, P1 shows a "turn-on" fluorescence response for Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) with a 50 nm blue shift. Furthermore, both P1-Zn(2+) and P1-Cd(2+) complexes were found to respond to pyrophosphate (PPi) over other important biological anions via a fluorescence quenching effect. P1 is also capable of monitoring intracellular Zn(2+) and PPi in real time.