A near-infrared fluorescent probe based on nucleophilic substitution–cyclization for selective detection of hydrogen sulfide and bioimaging

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been acknowledged as the third important gasotransmitter and plays a vital role to human health and diseases. A "turn-on" near-infrared fluorescent probe DCM-PBA based on nucleophilic substitution–cyclization has been developed for the detection of hydrogen sulfide. The probe showed high selectivity and sensitivity toward H2S and was successfully applied to imaging H2S in HeLa cells.