Turn-on and Turn-off Fluorescent Probes for Carbon Monoxide Detection and Blood Carboxyhemoglobin Determination.

Water-soluble, carbazole-based two-photon excitable fluorescent probes MPVC-I ("turn-on") and MPVC-II ("turn-off") are rationally designed and synthesized for the selective monitoring of carbon monoxide (CO). Both probes can effectively measure carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) in the blood of the animals exposed to a CO dose as low as 100 ppm for 10 min. The palladium catalyzed azidocarbonylation reaction was optimized to improve the sensing efficiency.