A fast-response colorimetric and fluorescent probe for hypochlorite and its real applications in biological imaging

We have designed and synthesized a fluorescent probe for hypochlorite based on the oxidation of hydrazone to carboxyl group. The probe was constructed from 2-hydrazinylpyridine and 3-butyl-1-chloroimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine-7-carbaldehyde which possesses good optical properties as a novel fluorophore. The detection limit was measured to be as low as 0.43 nM. Moreover, the probe can realize fast-detection for hypochlorite in as short as 30 s. The probe was also successfully applied to image living cells.