A novel colorimetric and turn-on fluorescent chemosensor for iron(III) ion detection and its application to cellular imaging.

A novel rhodamine-based dual probe Rh-2 for trivalent ferric ions (Fe(3+)) was successfully designed and synthesized, which exhibited a highly sensitive and selective recognition towards Fe(3+) with an enhanced fluorescence emission in methanol-water media (v/v=7/3, pH=7.2). The probe Rh-2 could be applied to the determination of Fe(3+) with a linear range covering from 3.0×10(-7) to 1.4×10(-5)M and a detection limit of 1.24×10(-8)M. Meanwhile, the binding ratio of Rh-2 and Fe(3+) was found to be 1:1. Most importantly, the fluorescence and color signal changes of the Rh-2 solution were specific to Fe(3+) over other commonly coexistent metal ions. Moreover, the probe Rh-2 has been used to image Fe(3+) in living cells with satisfying results.