Construction and Application of Phenothiazine-Based Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Hypochlorous Acid

Yuehua Yuan, Chaoyi Yue, Mengqing Du, Feng Feng, Maozhong Tian

Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 921-940.

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Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 921-940. DOI: 10.7536/PC20250909
Review

Construction and Application of Phenothiazine-Based Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Hypochlorous Acid

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Abstract

Hypochlorous acid/hypochlorite (HClO/ClO-) is one of the prominent reactive oxygen species (ROS), which has pivotal impacts in both daily life and complex biological processes. Excessive HClO/ClO- can lead to a series of diseases, such as arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, etc. Therefore, it is of great significance to detect HClO/ClO- in biological systems rapidly, sensitively and selectively. Phenothiazine (PTZ) and its derivatives with electron-rich properties are a class of significant fluorophores. At the main modification sites of a PTZ fluorophore, electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups can be easily introduced to effectively regulate the photophysical properties of phenothiazine molecules. Moreover, they also have the advantages of non-planar butterfly-shaped curved structures that can fully inhibit the formation of molecular aggregates and environmental friendliness. Hence, they show obvious superiorities in the construction of HClO/ClO- fluorescent probes. In this review, we systematically discuss the research progress of phenothiazine-based fluorescent probes for HClO/ClO-. The sensing mechanism, relevant performance parameters and practical application of these fluorescent probes are highlighted, and the prospects for phenothiazine-based fluorescent probes for HClO/ClO- are discussed.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Fluorescent probes for HClO/ClO- based on PET

3 Fluorescent probes for HClO/ClO- based on ICT

4 Fluorescent probes for HClO/ClO- based on other detection mechanism

5 Conclusion and outlook

Key words

phenothiazine / hypochlorous acid / hypochlorite / fluorescence probe / recognition mechanism / practical application

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Yuehua Yuan , Chaoyi Yue , Mengqing Du , et al . Construction and Application of Phenothiazine-Based Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Hypochlorous Acid[J]. Progress in Chemistry. 2026, 38(5): 921-940 https://doi.org/10.7536/PC20250909

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(22476118)
Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province, China (Free exploration)(20210302123479)
Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province, China (Free exploration)(202103021224312)
Applied Basic Research Project of Datong, China(2024064)
Research Topic of Postgraduate Education Reform of Shanxi Datong University(2024JG12)
Academic and Practical Innovation Project for Postgraduates of Shanxi Datong University(25XSCX18)
Academic and Practical Innovation Project for Postgraduates of Shanxi Datong University(25XSCX14)
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