Fu, Jiaxin, Chang, Yongxin, Li, Bai, Mei, Huihui, Yang, Li, and Xu, Kuoxi
A novel Schiff base fluorescence probe (HL) was synthesized by the condensation of salicylaldehyde and an 8-aminoquinoline derivative. This probe acts as a "turn-on" dual selectivity fluorescence probe for Zn2+ and Al3+ ions, providing different colors and detection limits (DL) of 11.5 and 23.5 nM, respectively. Moreover, when Zn2+ and Al3+ co-exist, HL exhibits a preference for Al3+ by displacing Zn2+ from the HL-Zn2+ complex, realizing a dual-channel signal output for Al3+. The HL-Al3+ system could further discern F− by a "turn-off" fluorescence response with a DL of 86.0 nM. Furthermore, the probe HL was capable of monitoring intracellular Al3+, Zn2+ and F− in living PC12 cells in vitro through fluorescence imaging, which proved its value in potential in vivo applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]