BODIPY-based fluorescent sensor for imaging of endogenous formaldehyde in living cells

A new highly selective fluorescent chemosensor for formaldehyde (FA) has been synthesized based on boron dipyrromethene as fluorophore and o-phenylenediamine (OPDA) as reaction group. When FA is added, the fluorescence emission band of the chemosensor red shift (from 525 nm to 548 nm) accompanied by an increase in intensity with strong green fluorescence was observed. This chemosensor also exhibited the lowest detection limit (0.104 μM) distinguished with other articles that have been reported. The application to cellular fluorescence imaging or test papers detection both indicated that the probe was highly responsive to the FA in endogenous cells and in the gaseous environment. [Display omitted] •Bodipy-OPDA exhibits very low detection limit (0.104 μM) for detecting formaldehyde compare with others.•Bodipy-OPDA can be used monitoring and imaging exogenously and endogenously.•formaldehyde in living cells.•Bodipy-OPDA is also effective and keen to detect formaldehyde in the gas environment.