Aspartic acid functionalized water-soluble perylene diimide as "Off-On" fluorescent sensor for selective detection Cu(2+) and ATP.

Aspartic functionalized water-soluble perylene diimide, N,N'-di(2-succinic acid)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PASP) has two absorbance maximums at 527 and 498nm (ε≈1.7×10(4)Lcm(-1)mol(-1)) and two emission peaks at 547 and 587nm respectively. Emission intensities decrease with the increase of PASP concentrations in 20-100μM ranges. Spectral titrations demonstrate that each PASP can coordinate to two Cu(2+) ions in the absence of HEPES buffer. Its stability constant is estimated to be about 1.0×10(12)L(2)mol(-2) at pH 7.20 and its coordinate stoichiometry increased to 7.5 in the same pH in the presence of HEPES buffer. The emission of PASP will be completely quenched upon formation of Cu(2+) complex. The lowest "turn-off" fluorescence detection limit was calculated to be 0.3μM Cu(2+). PASP-Cu solution was used as a "turn-on" fluorescence biosensor to detect ATP. The sensitivity towards ATP is 0.3μM in 50mM HEPES buffer at pH 7.20, which is one of the most sensitive fluorescence sensors.