We report a fluorescent “turn-on” molecular probe for biothiols where a non-fluorescent copper(II) coumarin complex turns to a strongly fluorescent Cu(I) complex by thiol-containing amino acids (Cys, Hcy, GSH).
The strongly fluorescent Cu(I) complex with biothiols can be returned back to its original probe form by chemical or electrochemical oxidation, enabling it reused as the thiol probe for several turn-overs.
The probe can be also successfully used in fluorescent imaging of the cellular GSH.