A selective thioxothiazolidin-coumarin probe for Hg based on its desulfurization reaction. Exploring its potential for live cell imaging.

Sensing the most toxic heavy metal (mercury) has attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to its extreme harmfulness to both human health and the environment. Thus, we reported herein the synthesis, spectroscopic and kinetic characterization, and biological evaluation of a new thioxothiazolidin coumarin derivative (ILA92), which undergoes a desulfurization reaction induced by mercuric ions (Hg). This process is the origin of a selective sensing of Hg ions in aqueous solution by colorimetric and fluorescent methods. Furthermore, the probe showed great potential for imaging Hg in living cells.