A colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent turn-on fluoride chemodosimeter and application in live cell imaging: high selectivity via specific SiO cleavage in semi aqueous media and prompt recovery of ESIPT along with the X-ray structures

A ratiometric fluorescent turn-on probe for fluoride ion, based on modulation of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process by chemodosimetric desilylation pathway is reported. The probe SNBT (silyl protected hydroxynaphthalene benzothiazole moiety) shows a significant increase of ratiometric absorption band at 440 nm and emission band at 477 nm by the deprotection of fluoride mediated silyl bond cleavage in CH3CN–H2O (8/2, v/v, 25 °C). The test strips based on SNBT and F− are fabricated, which can act as a convenient and efficient F− test kits. Furthermore, the biological application shows that it can be very useful as a selective fluoride probe in the fluorescence imaging of living cells.