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• In this paper, we report a 1,8-naphthalimide/ triphenylamine-based fluorescent probe (TPA-NI-NO 2) for the specific detection of 4‑methoxy-thiophenol (MTP) with good selectivity among the thiophenols. • The probe can "turn on" detect MTP with the limit of detection (LOD) of 80 nM and no obvious response to relevant analytes and homologues. • The sensing mechanism was explored by HPLC experiment and the PET process was determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. • The Gibbs free energy (DG) analysis for the reaction between the probe and different thiophenols were obtained by the theoretical calculations to study the specificity of the probe. • The probe was successfully applied to monitor the MTP in Hela cells. Thiophenols as a series of industrial products are widely used and high toxicity to the organisms and the environment. The fluorescent probe technique offers important insights into thiophenols convenient sensing. Herein, we report a 1,8-naphthalimide/ triphenylamine-based fluorescent probe (TPA-NI-NO 2) for the specific detection of 4‑methoxy-thiophenol (MTP). The probe can "turn on" specific detect MTP with the limit of detection (LOD) of 80 nM among various relevant analytes and homologues (p -Cl-C 6 H 4 SH, p -NO 2 - C 6 H 4 SH, C 6 H 5 SH and o -CH 3 - C 6 H 5 SH). The sensing mechanism was explored by the HPLC experiment and the PET process was determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, the specificity of the probe was also studied by the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) analysis of the reaction between the probe and different thiophenols. The reaction between probe and MTP gives the minimum of the ΔG value (∼ -9.7280 kcal/mol) and that of other thiophenols-mediated is -2.5283 to -5.8911 kcal/mol, which proves the thermodynamic chemical equilibrium can optimize the design of reaction-based fluorescent probes with excellent specificity. At last, TPA-NI-NO 2 was successfully applied to Hela cells imaging. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple way to synthesize probes. • A new fluorescent probecan detect the level of ClO− in aqueous solution quickly and sensitively. • A new probe can be used to monitor the level of ClO- in living cells. Hypochlorite (ClO−) plays an important source of chlorine contaminant in the environment which may cause various diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to explore a novel method for instant detection of ClO−. In this research, a new fluorescent probe (JSJ-1) has been designed and synthesized for selective response toward ClO−. The response time is less than 30 s while the detection limit can reach as low as 52.3 nM. Further experiments showed that JSJ-1 retains excellent anti-interference features when a variety of possible interferent anions or cations coexist and therefore displayed successful application in ClO− detection in environmental water samples. In addition, the working principle of the probe JSJ-1with high sensitivity and specificity is based on the oxidative cleavage of olefin units by ClO−. The explanation for the chemical processes is supported by fluorescence spectra, UV-vis spectra, 1H NMR, HRMS, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A new fluorescent probe JSJ-1 can detect the level of ClO− in aqueous solution quickly and sensitively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A water soluble hydrazone sensor 1 ·Cl for the detection of Zn2+ has been developed. • The resulting 1 +Zn2+ system could recognize S2− via an on-off process. • Sensing mechanism of sensor 1 ·Cl toward Zn2+ and S2− was demonstrated by spectroscopic studies and DFT calculations. • 1 ·Cl was successfully applied to imaging mitochondrial Zn2+ and S2−. [Display omitted] A simple water soluble hydrazone sensor (1· Cl) has been developed to selectively chelate with Zn2+ via an O 2 N donor set, leading to specific fluorescence enhancements. The highly emissive 1 -Zn2+ complex can serve as a reversible on-off sensor for S2−. The detection limits of 1· Cl for Zn2+ and S2− are 66.0 and 32.6 nM, respectively. The recognition mechanism was carefully investigated through FL, UV-vis, 1H NMR, ESI-MS, time-resolved fluorescence, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Owing to the mitochondria-targeting ability of the terminal quaternary ammonium moiety, 1· Cl was successfully applied to image mitochondrial Zn2+ and S2−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]