Tunable fluorescent pH sensor based on water-soluble perylene tetracarboxylic acid/Fe(3+).

A novel fluorescent pH sensor with tunable response range was designed based on highly fluorescent 3,4:9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic ammonium, which could coordinate the paramagnetic Fe(3+) ions to turn off its fluorescence and could also release Fe(3+) to turn on the fluorescence again at higher pH. The fluorescent pH sensor was tunable in the presence of different ligands in aqueous solution.

Zinc(II)-selective ratiometric fluorescent probe based on perylene bisimide derivative.

A fluorescent probe of N,N'-biscyclohexyl-1,7-di(3-pyridoxy)-perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide has been synthesized, and exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity for Zn(2+) over other competing biological cations. The Zn(2+) -selective fluorescence blue-shift and enhancing property in conjunction with a visible colorimetric change from orange to green could be observed. With favorable photophysical properties in the visible region, the perylene bisimide derivatives remarkably improved the performance of the probe.