An easily available naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe NPA for Pb(2+) detection was successfully developed. NPA exhibited an obvious fluorescence turn-on response toward Pb(2+) in aqueous solution and in living cells. Moreover, a series of model compounds were rationally designed and synthesized in order to explore the sensing mechanism and binding mode of NPA with Pb(2+) .

A simple and versatile fluorescent dye NPS based on 1,8-naphthalimide was successfully designed and prepared. It was found that NPS exhibited excellent selectivity for Hg 2+ over many other metal ions

A naphthalimide-based fluorescent ensemble probe NPC for selectively detecting His in aqueous solution (10 mM HEPES, pH 7.4) has been reported. Moreover, the application of NPC in in vivo (both in Hela cells and in C. elegans) fluorescence imaging was carried out as well.