Development and application of a ruthenium(II) complex-based photoluminescent and electrochemiluminescent dual-signaling probe for nitric oxide

A ruthenium(II) complex, [Ru(bpy)2(DA-phen)](PF6)2 (bpy: 2,2ʹ-bipyridine; DA-phen: 5,6-diamino-1,10-phenanthroline), has been developed as a photoluminescent (PL) and electrochemiluminescent (ECL) dual-signaling probe for the highly sensitive and selective detection of nitric oxide (NO) in aqueous and biological samples. Due to the presence of electron transfer process from diamino group to the excited-state of the Ru(II) complex, the PL and ECL intensities of the probe are very weak. After the probe was reacted with NO in physiological pH aqueous media under aerobic conditions to afford its triazole derivative, [Ru(bpy)2(TA-phen)]2+ (TA-phen: 5,6-triazole-1,10-phenanthroline), the electron transfer process was inhibited, so that the PL and ECL efficiency of the Ru(II) complex was remarkably increased. The PL and ECL responses of the probe to NO in physiological pH media are highly sensitive with the detection limits at low micromolar concentration level, and highly specific without the interferences of other reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and metal ions. Moreover, the probe has good cell-membrane permeability, and can be rapidly transferred into living cells for trapping the intracellular NO molecules. These features enabled the probe to be successfully used for the monitoring of the endogenous NO production in living biological cell and tissue samples with PL and ECL dual-modes.