Highly selective fluorescence detection of hydrogen sulfide by using an anthracene-functionalized cyclam-CuII complex

An anthracene-functionalised cyclam-copper(II) complex for the detection of HS- in aqueous environments has been prepared. This probe displays poor fluorescence but can selectively and sensitively detect HS- anions in water over other anions, biothiols and common oxidants such as H2O2 through remarkably enhanced emission. This turn-on response in the presence of the HS- anion is ascribed to a demetallation reaction that inhibits emission quenching observed in the initial complex as a result of the presence of the paramagnetic Cu2+ centre. Moreover, real-time fluorescence imaging measurements confirm that probe [Cu(1)](2+) can be easily used to detect intracellular HS- at micromolar concentrations with a remarkable enhancement in the FI/FI0 ratio.