Design and characterization of 3-azidothalidomide as a selective hydrogen sulfide probe

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recently recognized as an important signaling molecule in biological systems. Herein, we report the development of a fluorescence turn-on probe based on the structure of pomalidomide, a FDA approved drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Various characterizations demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity of this probe toward H2S. Furthermore, the application of this probe to detect H2S in living cells was confirmed by flow cytometry and fluorescence imaging studies.