Novel coumarin-based pyrazoline derivatives organogels for Fe3+ detection and application in cell imaging

Abstract Two novel coumarin-based pyrazoline derivatives have been designed and synthesized as organogel factors. Organogelators Z1-2 both have gelation behavior in alcohol solution and DMSO. Gel-tert-butanol Z1-2 (CGC=1.84%, 1.41%) fluoresce blue and yellow-green under ultraviolet irradiation, respectively. Z1-2 both exhibit selectivity for response to Fe3+ in THF-deionized aqueous (V: V = 9:1) solution, meanwhile display high sensitivity. Notably, introducing diethylamino at 7-position the coumarin unit increases the detection line range in Z2. Furthermore, Z2 not only has a good biocompatibility in living cells but also the sensing behavior of Fe3+ in the cell nucleus. The coordination mechanism of gelators Z1-2 and Fe3+ were performed at the DFT level.