Hydrogen Sulfide Mediated Tandem Reaction of Selenenyl Sulfides and Its Application in Fluorescent Probe Development

A unique reaction between H₂S and a selenenyl sulfide containing benzoate ester template was discovered. This reaction could be specifically triggered by H₂S and lead to ester bond cleavage. The reaction was not affected by the presence of thiols such as glutathione and cysteine. With this reaction, a series of fluorescent probes were synthesized and evaluated. The probes exhibited high sensitivity/selectivity for H₂S in both buffers and cells.