We present the design, synthesis,spectroscopy, and biological applications of PyBor, a new type of fluorescent probefor peroxynitrite detection in aqueous solution and living cells. The probeemploys pyrene as fluorophore, and is equipped with a chemical responsive unit boronate.The fluorescent probe can selectively detect peroxynitrite with fluorimetricdetermination and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses in aqueous solutionand RAW264.7 cells intracellular free extracts. We also study our probe to timedependent peroxynitrite release form 3-morpholinylsydnonimine hydrochloride. Confocalmicroscopy experiments using mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 show that PyBoris able to detect the different intracellular peroxynitrite levels. Inaddition, we have performed quantumchemical calculations with TD-DFT/M06/TZVP level with COSMO solvation model basissets using a suite of Gaussian 09 programs to provide insights into thestructure optical properties of PyBor and PyOH.

Fabiao Yu,ab Ping Song,a Peng Li,a Bingshuai Wanga and Keli Han A fluorescent probe directly detect peroxynitrite based on boronate oxidation
and its applications for fluorescence imaging in living cells Analyst, 2012, 137, 3740