Nitrobenzofurazan (NBD), a fluorophore usually derivated from 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan, has been extensively applied to a wide area of chemistry, biology, medicine and environmental science due to its simplicity, effectiveness, high sensitivity and low detection limit in the fluorometric analysis. The fluorescent probes based on NBD have become an important research focus in the sensing and recognition of important inorganic/organic molecules, protein and enzymes. This article reviews the recent progress of NBD-involved detection on heavy metal cations (Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺), reactive oxygen species, DNA, cell membranes, small molecular compounds (thiophenols, sugar compounds, adamantane and bile acid derivatives, fluvoxamine and epothilone, bisphenol A, polyamine, TNT, PPi), proteins, enzymes, etc. In the future, the design and synthesis of more exquisite and complex probes based on NBD is still a flourishing research area for fluorescent detection and biochemical imaging, and will provide a particularly applicable tool to study the intricate microcosmic process of life. Contents
1 Introduction
2 Fluorescence detection of heavy metal ions
2.1 Fluorescent probes for Hg²⁺
2.2 Fluorescent probes for Zn²⁺
2.3 Fluorescent probes for Cu²⁺
3 Fluorescence detection of reactive oxygen species
4 Fluorescent probe for DNA
5 Fluorescence detection of membranes
6 Fluorescence detection of small molecules
6.1 Fluorescence detection of thiophenols
6.2 Fluorescence detection of sugar compounds
6.3 Fluorescence detection of adamantane and bile acid derivatives
6.4 Fluorescence detection of fluvoxamine and epothilone
6.5 Fluorescence detection of bisphenol A
6.6 Fluorescence detection of polyamine
6.7 Fluorescence detection of TNT
6.8 Fluorescence detection of PPi
7 Fluorescence detection of proteins and enzymes
8 Fluorescence detection related to the polarity of micro-environment
9 Conclusion and outlook