A smart reaction-based fluorescence probe for ratio detection of hydrazine and its application in living cells

Hydrazine (N2H4) has been widely used in many areas of the chemical industry, but it can cause potential harm to human health and environmental pollution. Herein, a novel fluorescent probe (L) benefit from smart cyclization mechanism has been constructed for ratio detection of hydrazine. Due to the destruction of the conjugate system by cyclic reaction, the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process was blocked, and a large hypsochromic shift could be observed both in the absorption and fluorescence spectra with excellent ratio response. The sensing mechanism was also studied by NMR spectra and DFT calculation. This ratiometric probe was highly selective and sensitive for detecting hydrazine with a low detection limit of 0.23 μM. Moreover, that probe was also effective in monitoring hydrazine in live cells.