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Graphical abstract Highlights • A new ESIPT-based fluorescent probe for Hg2+ has been designed and developed. • The probe exhibits high sensitivity for mercury ions in aqueous solution. • The probe was successfully used for fluorescence imaging of Hg2+ in live cells. Abstract A new Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) based fluorescent probe for the detection of Hg2+ has been rationally designed and developed. Based on the specific reactivity of mercury-promoted hydrolysis, the probe exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity for mercury ions in almost pure aqueous solution (containing only 1% DMSO) with a low detection limit of 1.9 ppb. Furthermore, the probe was also successfully used for fluorescence imaging of Hg2+ in live cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented the design, synthesis and preliminary evaluation of the 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonate (DNBS) of imidazo[1,5- α ]pyridine derivative, NIPY-DNBS , as a turn-on fluorescent probe for the detection of thiols in aqueous solution. The reaction mechanism was confirmed by means of fluorescence, absorption and HRMS. The large Stokes shift (201 nm), high sensitivity (the detection limit for Cys was calculated to be as low as 0.17 μM) and fast response (10 min) of NIPY-DNBS make it a practical and reliable method for fluorescence imaging. Furthermore, application of NIPY-DNBS for the selective detection of intracellular thiols has been successfully demonstrated in living A549 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]