Fluorescent probes for biothiols based on metal complex

Biothiols are small molecules with important physiological functions. Their detection is mainly achieved by changing the fluorescence emission of fluorophores by the nucleophilic reaction ability of sulfhydryl groups. In recent years, based on the coordination ability of sulfhydryl groups and metals, many more fluorescent probes that recognize biothiols have also been reported. We think this is an appropriate time to review progress in this field. In this paper, we systematically reviewed biothiol fluorescent probes based on metal complexes, including metal complexes as acceptors and fluorescent dyes as reporters; or nucleophilic or reduction reactions as recognition mechanisms, and metal complexes as reporters; or a metal complex acts as both an acceptor and a reporter.