AND logic gate based fluorescence probe for simultaneous detection of peroxynitrite and hypochlorous acid

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) are two of the most important reactive species and associated with various diseases in various physiological and pathological processes. Nonetheless, many of their roles are still vague due to the shortage of methods for simultaneously detecting HOCl and ONOO⁻. Herein, three simple yet useful fluorogenic probes, LG-1, LG-2 and LG-3, have been fabricated with facile synthesis route and used to monitor the coexistence of HOCl and ONOO⁻ as AND-based logic gate fluorescent probe firstly. LG-1 and LG-2, which consists of 1,3-oxathiolane group and boronate group respectively, were designed to verify the capacity of monitoring HOCl and ONOO⁻ without interference from each other. The result showed that these two groups are perfect reaction sites of detecting HOCl and ONOO⁻ respectively via specific analyte-induced reactions. Hence, LG-3, which is attached by these two groups to suppress the fluorophore core, can response to HOCl and ONOO⁻ simultaneously without mutual interference and generate the significant time-dependent fluorescence enhancement. By investigating the absorption and fluorescence properties of LG-3 towards HOCl and ONOO⁻ individually and collectively, the result confirmed clearly that LG-3 has the capacity of monitoring the coexistence of HOCl and ONOO⁻, which could act as a two-input AND-based logic gate fluorescent probe.