A novel fluorescent probe based on 3-hydroxyphthalic anhydride for the differential detection of ClO-, Al3+ and Zn2+ and its application in biological imaging.

Hypochlorite (ClO-), a commonly used disinfectant in food processing, can pose health risks if there is excessive residue. Aluminum ions (Al3+) and zinc ions (Zn2+) are closely related to human health, and an imbalance in their concentrations can lead to neurological diseases and metabolic disorders. We used 3-hydroxyphthalic anhydride derivatives as the fluorescent matrix and constructed a new type of multi-functional fluorescent probe BHD by introducing an aminothiazole group. By utilizing the differential interaction mechanisms between the probe and target ions (ClO- initiates oxidative quenching, and Al3+/Zn2+ form coordination complexes), the differential detection of three types of ions can be achieved. BHD has good selectivity and can specifically respond in complex environments to achieve differential detection of ClO-/Al3+/Zn2+ at different wavelengths. The probe also has good biocompatibility. Biological experiments have proven that the probe BHD has low cytotoxicity and can achieve the visualization imaging of ClO-/Al3+/Zn2+ in living cells, providing a new tool for environmental monitoring and biomedical research.