Ratiometric fluorescent probes for detection of intracellular singlet oxygen

Abstract

We have developed a series of molecular probes for the fluorescent detection of singlet dioxygen (1O2). The probes, based on asymmetrically substituted 1,3-diarylisobenzofurans, undergo the [2 + 4] cycloaddition reaction with 1O2, producing ratiometric fluorescent responses. Two-photon fluorescence microscope experiments demonstrated the biological utility of the probes for the visualization of endogenous 1O2 in macrophage cells. © 2013 American Chemical Society.