Fluorescent sensors neutral molecules

The design of fluorescent sensors is of major importance because of the high demand in analytical chemistry, clinical biochemistry, medicine, the environment, etc. Numerous chemical and biochemical analytes can be detected by fluorescence methods cations (H+, Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Al3+, Cd2+, etc.), anions (halide ions, citrates, carboxylates, phosphates, ATP, etc.), neutral molecules (sugars, e.g. glucose, etc.) and gases (O2, CO2, NO, etc.). There is already a wide choice of fluorescent molecular sensors for particular applications and many of them are commercially available. However, there is still a need for sensors with improved selectivity and minimum perturbation of the microenvironment to be probed. Moreover, there is the potential for progress in the development of fluorescent sensors for biochemical analytes (amino acids, coenzymes, carbohydrates, nucleosides, nucleotides, etc.). 

Fluorescent molecular sensors of neutral molecules and surfactants... 

Fig. 10.43. Porphyrin-based fluorescent sensors of neutral molecules (P-1 Kijima H. et al. (1999) Chem. Commun. 2011. P-2 D Souza F. (1996) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118, 923. P-3 D Souza F. (1997) Chem. Commun. 533).

In Chapter 10, fluorescent pH indicators and fluorescent molecular sensors for cations, anions and neutral molecules are described, with an emphasis on design principles in regard to selectivity. 

Cation-n Interactions, p. 214 Crown Ethers, p. 326 Fluorescent Sensors, p. 572 lonophores, p. 760 Organic Zeolites, p. 996 Platonic and Archimedean Solids, p. 1100 Protein Supramolecular Chemistry, p. 1161 Simultaneous Binding of Cations and Neutral Molecules, p. 1295... 

A new PET-based chemosensor for uronic and sialic acids utilizing the cooperative action of boronic acid and metal chelate was reported by Shinkai and co-workers. This group synthesized a novel fluorescent chemosensor molecule bearing both an o-aminomethylphenylboronic acid group for diol binding to a saccharide and a l,10-phenanthroline-Zn(II)chelate moiety for the carboxylate binding, which enables this sensor to discriminate between neutral monosaccharides and acidic compounds [110],... 

---