A benzothiazole-based “on-off” fluorescence probe for the specific detection of Cu2+ and its application in solution and living cells

In this paper, a novel fluorescent probe HBT-H based on benzothiazole has been designed and synthesized. The probe has excellent selectivity and can be used for specific detection of Cu2+. Under 360 nm UV excitation, the probe HBT-H itself has a fluorescence emission peak at 487 nm, emitting cyan blue fluorescence, fluorescence quenching after added Cu2+. The detection limit of Cu2+ recognition by HBT-H probe was calculated as 3.08 × 10−7 M. According to Job's plot and high resolution mass spectrometry, the complexation ratio of HBT-H to Cu2+ was 2:1. The sensor mechanism was confirmed as excited intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Surprisingly, the probe HBT-H system responded well to pH, showing green fluorescence under acidic conditions and cyan blue fluorescence under alkaline conditions. In addition, the probe HBT-H has excellent membrane permeability and low cytotoxicity, which could not only detect Cu2+ in actual water samples, but also recognize Cu2+ in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7).