A fluorescent probe based on phenothiazine for detection of ClO− with naked-eye color change properties

Hypochlorite (ClO−) plays a key role in life systems and it is necessary to develop an effective detection method. In view of the significant advantages of the fluorescent probe, we have synthesized a naked-eye recognition fluorescent probe NNCF for the detection of ClO− based on phenothiazine and naphthalimide. The probe NNCF is sensitive (LOD = 9.5 nM) and fast for ClO− (within 30 s), and its Stokes shift is as large as 161 nm. In addition, the probe NNCF has been successfully used for imaging detection of exogenous ClO− in MCF-7 cells with low toxicity.