Synthesis of a fluorescent probe based on a heck coupling reaction for detecting Cu2 +

Copper ions, as heavy metal salt ions, are widely distributed in nature. Fluorescent probes with low detection limits have been increasingly used by researchers for the specific detection of copper ions; however, achieving highly responsive and easy-to-use fluorescent probes remains a challenging problem. In the present work, a polymer probe synthesized via a Heck coupling reaction exhibited the stable fluorescence in weakly acidic to basic environments. Subsequently, the specific response of the fluorescent polymer probe to copper ion concentrations within a certain range was tested and the limit of detection (LOD) was determined to be 0.0021 μM. Besides, the cellular imaging applications of the polymer probe were demonstrated. The present work provided a new approach for synthesizing fluorescent polymer probes with a promising application in recognizing heavy metal ions.