中国科学院大学 School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Mercury is one of the most hazardous species in nature, which may cause prenatal brain damage, cognitive and motion disorders, vision and hearing loss, and even death. In the past few years, a number of fluorescent chemosensors for the selective detection of Hg2+ ions have been reported. Most of these sensors, however, show fluorescence quenching (turn-off) response due to the spin-orbit coupling effect of Hg2+, and the sensors with fluorescence enhancement (turn-on) response are still rare. Our strategy for the fluorescent detection of mercury ion relies on the selective mercury-mediated type II Ferrier rearrangement, resulting in the formation of a fluorescent intermediate and hence leading to a dramatic increase in fluorescence intensity. The introduction of a sugar residue in fluorescent probe can greatly improve its water solubility and bio-compatibility, as well as colorimetric and fluorescent “turn-on” selectivity and sensitivity toward mercury ion in aqueous phase.