A simple “turn-on” fluorescent sensor for reversible recognition of aluminum ion in living cell

A simple and reliable “turn-on” fluorescent sensor (E)-1-[((2-hydroxyethyl)imino) methyl] naphthalen-2-ol ( HNP ) has been designed, synthesized, and characterized by 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, FT-IR, and EI-MS analysis. The binding property of HNP was examined employing UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. HNP exhibited high selectivity towards Al 3+ among other cations and anions. The fluorescence titration experiment has established binding stoichiometry of HNP with Al 3+ is 2:1, which can be further verified by HR-MS. The detection limit of HNP is 2.9 μM, and it can be reversible five-to-seven times to detect Al 3+ without losing much efficiency which indicates that it can be a reliable probe for Al 3+ . Additionally, HNP was successfully applied for the detection of Al 3+ in living cells. Graphical abstract To achieve the detection of aluminum ion across a simple, reliable, and precise method, we have investigated the reversible detection (which can reversible response to Al 3+ for five-to-seven times) of Al 3+ through an extremely simple (requires only one-step reaction) “turn-on” fluorescent probe which enables us to visualize and analyze Al 3+ with low detection limit (2.9 μM) and high selectivity in living cell without interference from the high abundant small biological molecules.