A highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for Fe3+ containing two rhodamine B and thiocarbonyl moieties and its application to live cell imaging

Abstract A novel turn-on rhodamine B-based fluorescent chemosensor (RBCS) was designed and synthesized by reacting N-(rhodamine B)lactam-1,2-ethylenediamine and carbon disulfide. Upon addition of Fe3+ in EtOH/H2O solution (2:1, v/v, HEPES buffer, 0.6 mM, pH 7.20), the RBCS displayed a significant fluorescence enhancement at 582 nm and a dramatic color change from colorless to pink, which can be detected by the naked eye. Significantly, the RBCS exhibited a highly selective and sensitive ability toward Fe3+. The detection limit of the probe was 2.05 × 10−7 M. Job's plot indicated the formation of 1:1 complex between the RBCS and Fe3+. Moreover, the practical use of the RBCS is demonstrated by its application in the detection of Fe3+ in HeLa cells.