Thiazole sulfonamide based ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor with a large spectral shift for zinc sensing

A new thiazole sulfonamide (TTP, 1) based Zn2+ selective intrinsic chemosensor has been synthesized and investigated. The chemosensor shows a selective fluorescence enhancement (3.0 fold) with Zn2+ over biologically relevant cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+) and biologically non-relevant cations (Cd2+) in an aqueous ethanol system. It produces an increase in the quantum yield and a longer emission wavelength shift (64 nm) on Zn2+ binding with the potential of a ratiometric assay.