Red-Fluorescent Activatable Probes for the Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide in Living Cells.

Many inflammatory processes are associated with an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Chemical probes that specifically detect ROS are potentially useful tools for the early diagnosis of inflammatory diseases as well as cancer. Herein we have developed a library of coumarin hybrids by condensation of various heterocyclic quaternary salts to a 7-hydroxycoumarin scaffold.