A Benzothiazole-Based Fluorescent Probe for Ratiometric Detection of Al and Its Application in Water Samples and Cell Imaging.

An easily prepared benzothiazole-based probe (BHM) was prepared and characterized by general spectra, including H NMR, C NMR, HRMS, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Based on the synergistic mechanism of the inhabitation of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), the BHM displayed high selectivity and sensitivity for Al in DMF/HO (, 1/1) through an obvious blue-shift in the fluorescent spectrum and significant color change detected by the naked eye, respectively. The binding ratio of BHM with Al was 1:1, as determined by the Job plot, and the binding details were investigated using FT-IR, H NMR titration, and ESI-MS analysis. Furthermore, the BHM was successfully applied in the detection of Al in the Songhua River and on a test stripe. Fluorescence imaging experiments confirmed that the BHM could be used to monitor Al in human stromal cells (HSC).