A BODIPY‐Diaminomaleonitrile Based Water‐Soluble Fluorescent Probe for Selective “Off‐On” Detection of Hypochlorite**

Abstract A fluorescent probe ( BODIPY‐DAMN ) with high selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of hypochlorite (ClO − ) was designed and synthesized. The probe uses boron‐dipyrromethene (BODIPY) as fluorophore, carboxyl group modification to improve its water solubility, and diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) as recognition group to recognize ClO − . BODIPY‐DAMN exhibits an “off‐on” fluorescence response towards ClO − . In the range of 10.0 to 250.0 μM, there is a good linear relationship between the emission intensity and HClO concentration, and the detection limit is 298 nM. Hypochlorite in actual water samples was determined with recovery of 89.5 % and 112.0 %. In addition, BODIPY‐DAMN has low cytotoxicity, and has been used to determine endogenous ClO − in mouse melanoma cells (B16‐F10), human neuroblastoma cells (SH‐SY5Y) and zebrafish. The results of this study provide a new strategy for further research on the physiological and pathological effects of hypochlorite.