An Easily Available Ratiometric Reaction-Based AIE Probe for Carbon Monoxide Light-up Imaging

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a significant gasotransmitter that naturally modulates inflammatory responses. Visualization of CO <i>in situ</i> would help to reveal its physiological/pathological functions. Unfortunately, most existing CO fluorescent probes show aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) properties. Herein, we report the reaction-based fluorescent probe (BTCV-CO) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics for CO detection and imaging. This ratiometric AIE probe showed excellent stability, high sensitivity (detection limit of 30.8 nM), and superior selectivity. More importantly, this CO-responsive AIE probe could be facilely designed and easily obtained by two-step synthesis with high yield, providing an easy-to-handle AIE toolbox for real-time visualization of CO in a living system.