PNNL

Abstract

Hydrogen polysulfides (H2Sn, n>1) have been recently suggested to be the actual signalling molecules that involved in sulfur-related redox biology. However the exact mechanisms of H2Sn are still poorly understood and a major hurdle in this field is the lack of reliable and convenient methods for H2Sn detection. In this work we report a unique ring-opening reaction of N-sulfonylaziridine by Na2S2 under mild conditions. Based on this reaction a novel H2Sn-specific fluorescent probe (AP) was developed. The probe showed high sensitivity and selectivity for H2Sn. Notably, the fluorescent turn-on product, i.e. compound 1, exhibited excellent two-photon photophysical properties and a large Stokes shift. Moreover, the high solid state luminescent efficiency of compound 1 makes it a potential candidate for organic emitters and solid-state lighting devices.