Fast and sensitive fluorescent detection of inorganic mercury species and methylmercury using a fluorescent probe based on the displacement reaction of arylboronic acid with the mercury species.

We present a reaction-based fluorescent probe (1) for Hg2+ and CH3Hg+, based on the displacement reaction of the arylboronic acid with the mercury species. 1 showed promising sensing properties for Hg2+ and CH3Hg+, such as high selectivity and sensitivity, turn-on response, fast response to Hg2+ (<2 min) and CH3Hg+ (<5 min), low detection limits and operation in purely aqueous solutions.