The field of optical sensors has been a growing research area over the last three decades. A wide range of books and review articles has been published by experts in the field who have highlighted the advantages of optical sensing over other transduction methods. Fluorescence is by far the method most often applied and comes in a variety of schemes. Nowadays, one of the most common approaches in the field of optical biosensors is to combine the high sensitivity of fluorescence detection in combination with the high selectivity provided by ligand-binding proteins. In this chapter we deal with reviewing our recent results on the implementation of fluorescence-based sensors for monitoring environmentally hazardous gas molecules (e.g. nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide). Reflectivity-based sensors, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy-based (FCS) systems, and sensors relying on the enhanced fluorescence emission on silver island films (SIFs) coupled to the total internal reflection fluorescence mode (TIRF) for the detection of gliadin and other prolamines considered toxic for celiac patients are also discussed herein.

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In this work, we investigate the mode of interaction of a family of fluorescent zinc complexes with HS − and H 2 S. Different experiments, performed by diverse spectroscopic techniques, provide evidence that HS − binds the zinc center of all the complexes under investigation. Treatment with neutral H 2 S exhibits a markedly different reactivity which indicates selectivity for HS − over H 2 S of the systems under investigation. Striking color changes, visible to the naked eye, occur when treating the systems with HS − or by an H 2 S flow. Accordingly, also the fluorescence is modulated by the presence of HS − , with the possible formation of multiple adducts. The results highlight the potential of the devised systems to be implemented as HS − / H 2 S colorimetric and fluorescent sensors. Bioimaging experiments indicate the potential of using this class of compounds as probes for the detection of H 2 S in living cells.

Vanadium compounds can exert anticancer effects, partly due to inhibition of tyrosine phosphatases. Here, we report the effect of N,N'-ethylenebis (pyridoxylideneiminato) vanadium (IV) complex (Pyr2 enV(IV)), that induced 93% and 57% of cell mortality in A375 (human melanoma) and A549 (human lung carcinoma) cells, respectively; the mortality was <24% in other cancer cell lines and in human normal epidermal keratinocytes, lung cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The mechanism of Pyr2 enV(IV) effect relied on apoptosis induction; this was triggered by ROS increase, followed by mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Indeed, the addition of N-acetyl cysteine to cell cultures abated Pyr2 enV(IV)-induced apoptosis. These results disclose the pro-apoptotic activity of Pyr2 enV(IV) and its mechanism, relying on intracellular ROS increase.

Two diiminobis(phenolate) zirconium complexes [C6H10-{NCH-(3,5- t Bu2C6H2-2-O)-κO}2]ZrX2 [X = CH2Ph (1), Cl (3)] have been synthesized and characterized by NMR solution spectroscopy. Complex 1 was found conformationally stable and isolated in the octahedral C 2 symmetric form. When exposed to the light in hydrocarbon solution, 1 readily undergoes to 1,2 benzyl migration converting the diiminobis(phenolate) ligand in the corresponding benzylamidoiminobis(phenolate). Complex 3 is more thermally stable and found in slow equilibrium between the cis-α and cis-β forms with the former largely prevalent (9:1 molar ratio). The rate of interconversion between the two diastereoisomers was estimated in 3.6 × 10-1 s-1 by NMR exchange spectroscopy (EXSY). 1 and 3 are active ethylene polymerization catalysts after reaction with MAO or [CPh3][B(C6F5)4]/Al- i Bu3. The polydispersity index of polyethylene produced by 1 is about 2, suggesting the presence of a single active species and that the symmetry of the precatalyst is retained during polymerization. The catalyst is stable over 3 h, and the polymerization activity linearly increases with time. Copolymers of ethylene with propylene or 1-hexene were synthesized, and the 13C NMR analysis of their microstructure suggested the highly regioregular 1,2 insertion of the 1-olefin and the inability of the ligand environment to express stereochemical control during monomer insertion.

The aim of the present review is to highlight the most recent achievements in different fields of application of salen-based zinc and aluminum complexes. More specifically this article focuses on...

A new, fast, simple and cost-effective sensing device for monitoring H(2)S has been developed. Proof-of-principle results showing that a commercial and cheap Myoglobin (Mb) can be successfully used as a biological probe for a fluorescence biosensor for H(2)S detection are reported. The two different commercial labels Cy3 and Atto620 were selected for this study. A high selectivity for detecting H(2)S against other thiols was found. The applicability of the proposed sensing system was successfully explored not only in solution but also when applied in the form of a solid state device.

New zinc complexes (LOMe)ZnCl(2) (1) and (LOH)ZnCl(2)(2) of the heteroscorpionate ligands 1-[(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-methoxyphenyl)(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)]-3,5-dimethyl-pyrazole (LOMe) and 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-[bis(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl]phenol (LOH) have been synthesized. The X-ray molecular structure of 2 was reported and compared with the one of the iron(II) complex (LOH)FeI(2) (3). The complexes 2-3 adopt a tetrahedral structure in the solid state in which the LOH ligand is kappa(2)-coordinated to the metal via the imino nitrogens of the two pyrazolyl rings. The hydroxyl phenyl group is not coordinated to the metal but found to be involved in an intermolecular hydrogen bond. The solution structures of 1 and 2 are consistent with this tetrahedral C(S) symmetric geometry. Dilution and (1)H-(1)H Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments revealed that the free ligands LOMe and LOH are involved in intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. Coordination of LOMe and LOH to ZnCl(2) was investigated by NMR titration methods. Association constants (K(a)) of (8.6 +/- 0.4) x 10(2) M(-1) and (7.8 +/- 0.3) x 10(2) M(-1) were obtained in methanol/water solutions (95:5) for LOMe and LOH, respectively. Coordination of bis(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)methane (bpm) ligand to ZnCl(2) is weaker, as evidenced by the lower value of the association constant (5.3 +/- 0.3) x 10(2) M(-1). When bpm was added to solutions of 1 or 2, an equilibrium shifted toward the (bmp)ZnCl(2) species was observed. The thermodynamic parameters for this reaction were determined by VT NMR analysis. The optical properties of the ligands (LOMe, LOH) and of the corresponding zinc complexes 1 and 2 were also investigated by means of UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy to assess the potential use of these ligands as fluorescent sensors for Zn(2+) detection.