Fluorescent chemosensors for exploring zinc metalloneurochemistry and detecting mercury in aqueous solution

Chapter 1. An Introduction to Zinc Metalloneurochemistry and Zinc Detection in Biology. This chapter presents an overview of zinc neurophysiology and pathology, which provides motivation for the design of new tools and tactics for zinc detection in vivo. A historical account of biological zinc detection is also given, followed by a summary of recent progress in the development and use of fluorescent Zn(II) sensors for in vivo studies. A summary of project goals and thesis organization is also included. Chapter 2. Zinc Sensors Based on Monosubstituted Fluorescein Platforms I: Routes to Electronic Variation, Syntheses and Spectroscopic Characterization. In this work, a convergent synthetic approach for the assembly of fluorescent zinc sensors from aniline-derivatized ligands and a fluroescein carboxaldehyde platform is presented. These sensors are based on the previously reported ZP4 motif and incorporate a di(2-picolyl)amine moiety in the aniline-based ligand framework. The effects of electronic variation, achieved by halogenation of either the zinc-binding unit or the fluorophore platform, on the fluorescence properties and aniline nitrogen atom pKa values are considered.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Chemistry.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Nolan, Elizabeth M. (Elizabeth Marie), 1978-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stephen J. Lippard.

• Chemistry.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36266

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/36266