A chemoselective fluorescent probe for arginine in aqueous phase

As an essential amino acid, arginine (Arg) is of many biological significances. However, the chemoselective detection of Arg using fluorescent techniques remain challenging. Here, a 1,1 & PRIME;-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL)-based fluorescent probe has been synthesized and responds chemoselectively to Arg to give strong fluorescence enhancement within a minute. The probe can report the concentration of Arg in a large window from 10 mu M to 5 mM. UV irradiation provides a qualitative method for Arg detection. The fluorescence of the formed imine product can be turned off again by either acid or base. Based on those findings, a simple fluorescence OFF -ON-OFF device has been made for the fast detection of Arg.