A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for N(2)H(4) Having a Large Detection Range Based upon Coumarin with Multiple Applications

Although hydrazine (N(2)H(4)) is a versatile chemical used in many applications, it is toxic, and its leakage may pose a threat to both human health and environments. Consequently, the monitoring of N(2)H(4) is significant. This study reports a one-step synthesis for coumarin-based ratiometric fluorescent probe (FP) CHAC, with acetyl as the recognition group. Selected deprotection of the acetyl group via N(2)H(4) released the coumarin fluorophore, which recovered the intramolecular charge transfer process, which caused a prominent fluorescent, ratiometric response. CHAC demonstrated the advantages of high selectivity, a strong capacity for anti-interference, a low limit of detection (LOD) (0.16 μM), a large linear detection range (0–500 μM), and a wide effective pH interval (6–12) in N(2)H(4) detection. Furthermore, the probe enabled quantitative N(2)H(4) verifications in environmental water specimens in addition to qualitative detection of N(2)H(4) in various soils and of gaseous N(2)H(4). Finally, the probe ratiometrically monitored N(2)H(4) in living cells having low cytotoxicity.