Diamagnetic nickel(II) bisdithiocarbamate complexes derived from two isomers of zwitterionic sulforhodamine B were synthesized and demonstrated to be selective turn-on probes for NO2. Compared with the square-planar para isomer, the ortho isomer showed a much greater fluorescence increase upon reaction with NO2, leading to oxidation and de-complexation of the dithiocarbamate ligand from Ni(II). This probe was applied for visual detection of 1.0 ppm gaseous NO2 and fluorescence imaging of exogenous NO2 in macrophage cells RAW 264.7. Interestingly, compositionally similar Ni(II) complexes with rhodamine B are paramagnetic (six-coordinated Ni(II)) and are more sensitive in detection of nitrogen dioxide. The flexibility of Ni(II) for four and more coordination numbers plays a certain role for the quenching effects on the rhodamine fluorophores. The resulting Ni(II) dithiocarbamate complex with rhodamine B is successfully applied in detection, for the first time, endogenously formed nitrogen dioxide in RAW264.7 cells activated by lipopolysaccharides.

Ni(II) dithiocarbamate complexes containing rhodamine fluorophores for detection and bio-imaging of nitrogen dioxide

247th National Meeting (2014)

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