Mercury (Hg 2+ )-triggered desulfurization of 1,3dithiolane to the formyl group formation process has been utilized here to develop a norbornene-based reaction-triggered ESIPT active probe (NT). Mercury (Hg 2+ ) activated the excited-state proton transfer (ESIPT) process of both NT and its water-soluble polymer Poly-PEG-NT to change the emission from colorless to cyan-green. Due to the Hg 2+ -sensitive reaction site, NT and Poly-PEG-NT serve as highly selective and ultrafast detection systems with a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.2 nM and 107 nM, respectively. Additionally, NT can detect the organic mercury species (CH 3 Hg + ) with a quick response time and an impressive LOD of 1.1 μM. Due to the water-soluble nature of Poly-PEG-NT, it has the capability of detecting Hg 2+ in pure aqueous meda. Both these probes are capable of detecting Hg 2+ in both environmental and biological systems with excellent efficiency. Overall, the easy synthesis, cost-effectiveness, ultrafast detection, high selectivity, and sensitivity of NT and Poly-PEG-NT toward Hg 2+ /CH 3 Hg + can be used for practical purposes with efficiency to counter mercury toxicity.

Exposure of Hg(II) and As(III) leads to several physiological problems to humans, such as liver damage, kidney damage, lung cancer, skin cancer, motion disorder, brain damage, etc. To monitor and...

Although fluoride has several crucial roles in both the biological and medicinal fields, it also suffers from various harmful effects. By this virtue, tracking fluoride is very much essential. For this purpose, a norbornene-coupled 4-aminophenol derivative has been converted to a 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine derivative to detect fluoride ions in both aqueous and dimethylsulfoxide solutions (1:9, v/v). Both the monomer (NDNP) and polymer (Poly-NDNP) can effectively detect fluoride ions in solution and toothpaste samples. Large redshift and a drastic distinguishable color change from yellow to reddish-brown established the usefulness of both NDNP and Poly-NDNP toward detecting fluoride ions. An UV–vis spectroscopic study and 1H NMR spectroscopic titration confirmed the stepwise fluoride-induced strong H-bond interaction followed by deprotection of the −NH proton, which activates the intramolecular charge-transfer process for spectral and color changes. The sensors’ ratiometric response selectively toward fluoride ions encouraged us to detect and estimate the fluoride ion concentration accurately up to 22 and 17 nM, respectively.

Magnetic resonance imaging-aided real-time diagnosis along with enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy using a sequential receptor and mitochondria dual-targeting polymer theranostic has become a promising strategy for the effective and precise treatment of cancer. Toward the accomplishment of this goal, chlorambucil (chemotherapeutic agent), biotin (receptor targeting agent), a triphenylphosphonium segment (mitochondriotropic agent), and an iron rhodamine complex (integrated fluorescence-MR imaging agent) were tethered under a single polymer. Owing to the polymer's (RD CH PG BN TP Fe) amphiphilic character, it spontaneously self-assembled into nanospheres, which exhibited a remarkable effect on the relaxation of the water proton. Further, the qualitative estimation of the change in intensity for the water-proton signal reflected its potential as a T 1 contrast theranostic polymer. The mitochondria targeting competency of positively charged nanospheres was displayed using fluorescence microscopy in human cervical, HeLa, and breast, MCF-7, carcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated the enhanced anticancer efficacy in both cancer cell lines. Therefore, effective and precise chemotherapy through sequential receptor-mitochondria targeting and integrated fluorescence-MR imaging would have attractive potential for decisive dose-determination by constantly monitoring the subject area of interest.

Norbornene based rhodamine derivative (NR) was observed as an “off-on” probe for Fe3+ion both colorimetrically and fluorimetrically in aqueous environment. NR and it’shomopolymer(PNR) were capable of detecting Fe3+ion with high...