A coumarin derivative-Cu 2+ complex-based fluorescent chemosensor for detection of biothiols.

Herein, a novel fluorescent sensor has been developed for the detection of biothiols based on theoretical calculations of the stability constant of the complex between a Cu ²⁺ ion and ( E )-3-((2-(benzo[ d ]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)methyl)-7-(diethylamino) coumarin (BDC) as a fluorescent ligand. In this study, on the basis of density functional theory method, the Gibbs free energy of ligand-exchange reaction and the solvation model were carried out using thermodynamic cycles. The obtained results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The BDC-Cu ²⁺ complex can be used as a fluorescent sensor for the detection of biothiols in the presence of non-thiol containing amino acids, with a detection limit for cysteine at 0.3 μM. Moreover, theoretical calculations of excited states were used to elucidate variations in the fluorescence properties. The computed results show that the excited doublet states D ₂ and D ₁ are dark doublet states, which quench the fluorescence of the complex.
Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare.
(This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)