Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods

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Electronic Supplementary Information

A fast-responding fluorescent turn-on sensor for sensitive and selective

detection of sulfite anions

Changmin Yu, Ming Luo, Fang Zeng and Shuizhu Wu

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Experimental Section

Materials and reagents: 9-(Chloromethyl)anthracene, potassium carbonate (K2CO3),

sodium salts of anions (I-, F-, Cl-, Br-, HCO3-, SO42-, PO43-, NO3-, NO2-, B4O72-, CO32-,

HPO42-, SCN-) and 4-(-2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) were

purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. 4-Formylbenzoic acid, benzotriazole-1-yl-

oxytripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP), dimethylsulfoxide

(DMSO for HPLC), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), anhydrous ethylenediamine,

triethylamine (TEA), ammonia, monohydrate citric acid and dichloromethane (DCM)

were obtained from Alfa Aesar. Beer (Pearl River) was made by Guangzhou Zhujiang

Brewery Group Co. Ltd., and red wine (Great Wall) was made by Cofco Wines &

Spirits Co. Ltd. (China). Rainwater was collected locally. The water used in this study

was the triple-distilled water which was further treated by ion exchange columns and then

by a Milli-Q water purification system.

Synthesis of N1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine: 9-(Chloromethyl)-

anthracene (0.15 g, 0.66 mmol) and K2CO3 (0.456 g, 3.3 mmol) were suspended in DMF

(8 mL), the mixture was cooled to 0 C with ice bath. Then ethylenediamine (0.88 mL,

13.2 mmol) was dropped to the mixture with syringe. The reaction mixture was heated to

55 C for 20 h under nitrogen atmosphere. After cooling to room temperature, the DMF

and potassium carbonate was removed by extraction with dichloromethane/deionized

water, the organic phase was dried with anhydrous Na2SO4 and then purified on a silica

gel column using methanol: ammonia = 20 : 1 (v/v) as eluent to obtain faint yellow

viscous liquid (0.144 g, 87.5%). 1H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6, δ ppm): 8.54 (s, 1H),

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8.41-8.43 (d, 2H), 8.07-8.09 (d, 2H), 7.49-7.58 (m, 4H), 4.63 (s, 2H), 2.78-2.79 (t, 2H),

2.71-2.72 (t, 2H). MS (ESI): m/z 250.2 [M]+.

Synthesis of N-(2-((anthracen-9-ylmethyl)amino)ethyl)-4-formylbenzamide (the

probe): 4-Formylbenzoic acid (0.06 g, 0.4 mmol), PyBOP (0.208 g, 0.4 mmol) and TEA

(0.061 mL, 0.44mmol) were dissolved in dry dichloromethane (5 mL) and stirred for 15

min. Afterwards, TEA (0.061 mL, 0.44mmol) together with the above-obtained

N1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (0.1 g, 0.4 mmol) dissolved in dry

dichloromethane (5 mL) was added and stirred at room temperature for 24 h under

nitrogen atmosphere. Then the reaction mixture was extracted between dichloromethane

and saturated sodium bicarbonate, 10% (wt%) citric acid solution, 5% (wt%) sodium

chloride solution and deionized water respectively. The organic phase was dried with

anhydrous Na2SO4 and purified by flash chromatography (ethyl acetate : dichloromethane

= 10:1, v/v) to obtain the probe ( 0.105 g, 68.4%). 1H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6, δ

ppm): 10.08 (s, 1H), 8.65 (s, 1H), 8.55 (s, 1H), 8.45-8.48 (d, 2H), 8.07-8.09 (d, 2H),

8.00-8.05 (d, 4H), 7.51-7.54 (m, 4H), 4.70 (s, 2H), 3.47-3.53 (t, 2H), 2.96-3.02 (t, 2H),

1.99 (s, 1H). MS (APCI): m/z 381.6 [M-H]+.

Measurements: 1H NMR spectrum was recorded on a Bruker Avance 400MHz NMR

Spectrometer. Mass spectra were obtained through Bruker Esquire HCT Plus mass

spectrometer. Fluorescence spectra were recorded on a Hitachi F-4600 fluorescence

spectrophotometer with excitation wavelength being 370 nm. UV-vis spectra were

recorded on a Hitachi U-3010 UV-vis Spectrophotometer.

For sulfite testing, the probe was dissolved in DMSO solution to prepare the stock

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solution (10-3 M). Stock solutions of SO32- and various other ions (10-3M) were prepared

by dissolving their salts in pH 7.0 HEPES buffer. The test solution was prepared by

adding the requisite amounts of stock solutions together, and then diluting with pH 7.0

HEPES buffer, the final solvent was pH 7.0 HEPES buffer containing DMSO (2%, v/v).

The test solution was stirred for 1 minute, then the fluorescence spectra was recorded.

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Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods
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In the food and medicine industries, several sulfite agents (for example, sodium
metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, and sodium hydrogen sulfite) have been used as
preservatives. These sulfite agents are all chemically equivalent since they are converted
to the same ionic species (SO3-) when they are dissolved in aqueous solution and the pH
is close to neutrality, because under this condition only sulfite is present.

(1) Sodium hydrogen sulfite (or sodium bisulfite, NaHSO3):

HSO3− is a weakly acidic species with a pKa of 7.0. Its conjugate base is the sulfite
ion, SO32−:
HSO3−  SO32− + H+
When the pH is close to neutrality (around 7.0), hydrogen sulfite (or bisulfite) ions
exist in the form of sulfite ions.

(2) sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5):

S2O52 + H2O  2 HSO3−
HSO3−  SO32− + H+

Sodium metabisulfite (pKa around 1.8) quickly dissociates to the bisulfite anion in
aqueous solution, when the pH is close to neutrality (around 7.0), hydrogen sulfite (or
bisulfite) ions exist in the form of sulfite ions.

(3) Sulfur dioxide dissolves in water:

SO2 + H2O ⇌ HSO3− + H+

Sulfur dioxide is fairly soluble in water, when it dissolves in water, sulfurous acid
H2SO3 forms, this elusive acid only exists in solution, and the conjugate base of this
elusive acid is bisulfite (or hydrogen sulfite). When the pH is close to neutrality (around
7.0), hydrogen sulfite (or bisulfite) ions exist in the form of sulfite ions.

References:
1. W. H. Sperber, M. P. Doyle, Compendium of the Microbiological Spoilage of Foods
and Beverages, Springer, New York, 2009.
2. L. Pizzoferrato, G. D. Lullo, E. Quattrucci, Food Chemistry. 1998, 63, 275-279.
3. R. M. D. Machado, M. C. F. Toledo, E. Vicente, Eur. Food Res. Technol. 2009, 229,
383-389.

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Scheme 1. Synthesis route for the probe.

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Fig. S1. 1H NMR spectrum of N1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine in

DMSO-d6.

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Fig. S2. Mass spectrum of N1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine.

MS (ESI): m/z 250.2 [M]+

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Fig. S3. H NMR spectrum of
N-(2-((anthracen-9-ylmethyl)amino)ethyl)-4-formylbenzamide (the probe) in DMSO-d6.

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Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods
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Fig. S4. Mass spectrum of N-(2-((anthracen-9-ylmethyl)amino)ethyl)-4-formylbenzamide

(the probe).
MS (APCI): m/z 381.6 [M-H]+

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Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods
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Intensity at 420 nm (a.u.)

240

220

200

0.0 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2

2-
C (SO3 ) (M)

Fig. S5. The fluorescence intensity ratio of the probe (1 × 10-5 M) as a function of sulfite
concentration in pH 7.0 HEPES buffer containing DMSO (2%, v/v). Sulfite concentration:
0 - 1.0 µM (the lower concentration part). (λexc = 370 nm).

The method for determining the detection limit:

First the calibration curve was obtained from the plot of fluorescence intensity, I420, as a
function of the analyte concentration (sulfite). The regression curve equation was then
obtained for the lower concentration part.
The detection limit = 3 × S.D./ k
where k is the slope of the curve equation, and S.D. represents the standard deviation for
the fluorescence intensity of the probe solution in the absence of sulfite.

I420 = 200.36 + 42.3 E6 [sulfite] (R = 0.998)

LOD = 3 × 0.14 / 42.3 E6 = 10 nM

References:
V. Thomsen, D. Schatzlein and D. Mercuro, Spectroscopy 2003, 18, 112-114.
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson, IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology,
1997.

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Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods
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A B
3 2 SO3Na
4 1 H O 6 7 O Na2SO3 H O
N N H 10
5 N N
H H H
9 8 ONa
4 1
3 2

8 5 1 46,7 2,3 9
A
2,3 9,10
5 1 4 6,7
B

10 9 8 7 6 5

Fig. S6. Partial 1H NMR spectra of the probe compound (4 mM) before and after addition
of sulfite (10 equiv) in D2O/DMSO-d6 (v/v, 1 : 1).

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Fig. S7. Mass spectra of the as-prepared probe compound (A) and the chemical formed
upon addition of excessive amount of sulfite anion (B). The signals at m/z 381.6 are
[probe]+, while the signals at m/z 548.2 are [probe + Na2SO3 + K]+.

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Fig. S8. Photographs of the probe solution (1.0  10-5 M, in pH 7.0 HEPES aqueous
solution containing DMSO (2%, v/v)) in the presence of various anions (1  10-4 M)
respectively under 365 nm UV light (fluorescence change).

1: I-; 2: F-; 3: Cl-; 4: Br-; 5: HCO3-; 6: SO42-; 7: PO43-; 8: NO3-; 9: NO2-; 10: B4O72-; 11:
CO32-; 12: HPO42-; 13: SCN-; 14: SO32-

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1200
Intensity at 420 nm

900

600

300

0 60 120 180 240

Time (s)

Fig. S9. Fluorescence intensity at 420 nm as a function of time for the probe (1 × 10-5 M,
in pH 7.0 HEPES aqueous solution containing DMSO (2%, v/v)) in the presence of
sulfite (100 M). The time-scan measurement of the fluorescence intensity was
conducted immediately after the anion was added into the sensor solution (exc = 370
nm).

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1200
Blank
2-
SO3
Intensity at 420 nm

900

600

300

5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0

pH

Fig. S10. Fluorescence intensity at 420 nm of the probe solution (1.0  10-5 M, in pH 7.0
HEPES aqueous solution containing DMSO (2%, v/v)) in the absence and in the presence
of sulfite anions (1  10-4 M) as a function of pH (λexc: 370 nm).

pH 6.0 and pH 6.5: PBS buffer solutions; pH 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 and 8.5: HEPES buffer
solutions.

To confirm the suitable pH range for sulfite anion sensing, the effect of pH on the
fluorescence intensity for the probe in the absence or presence of 100 M sulfite anions
was investigated experimentally and the results are given in Figure S7. In the absence of
sulfite anions, for the probe solution, no remarkable fluorescence emission was observed
in the pH range from 6.5 to 7.5, suggesting that the spectroscopic property of the probe is
stable at this pH range; In the presence of sulfite anions, a remarkable increase in
fluorescence intensity was observed between pH 6.5 and 7.5, indicating in this pH range
the sulfite anions can react with the probe. It also can be found that, the solution exhibits
high fluorescence intensity which remained relatively high from pH 6.5 to pH 7.5. These
data confirm that the probe could serve as a fluorescent turn-on sensor for sulfite under
neutral pH environment.

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Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Analytical Methods
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Table S1 Determination of sulfite in beer and red wine.

Sample Determined Added sulfite Combined Measured Recovery
sulfite (μM) (μM) sulfite (μM) (μM) (%)
Beer 7.9 (a) - - - -
20.0 27.9 27.0 96.8
10.0 17.9 17.6 98.3
5.0 12.9 13.4 103.9
2.0 9.9 10.2 103.0
1.0 8.9 8.7 97.8

Red wine 2.1 (b) - - - -

20.0 22.1 22.2 100.5
10.0 12.1 11.5 95.0
5.0 7.1 7.3 102.8
2.0 4.1 4.0 97.6
1.0 3.1 3.0 96.8
Note: (a) The final concentration of beer in the test solution is 10-fold diluted. The
determined sulfite level in the diluted beer sample without spiking sulfite is 7.9 M,
which means the sulfite concentration in undiluted beer sample is ca. 79 M (or 6.3
mg/kg), in compliance with China National Standard for Food Additives (GB2760-2011).
(b) The final concentration of red wine in the test solution is 30-fold diluted.
The determined sulfite level in the diluted red wine sample without spiking sulfite is 2.1
M, which means the sulfite concentration in undiluted beer sample is ca. 63 M (or 5.0
mg/kg), in compliance with China National Standard for Food Additives (GB2760-2011).

Table S2. Determination of sulfite in rainwater.

Sample Determined Added Combined Measured Recovery
sulfite (μM) sulfite (μM) sulfite (μM) (μM) (%)
Rain water 5.7 (a) - - - -
20.0 25.7 25.2 98.1
10.0 15.7 15.5 98.7
5.0 10.7 10.8 100.9
2.0 7.7 7.6 98.7
1.0 6.7 6.8 101.5
Note: (a) The final concentration of rainwater in the test solution is 3-fold diluted.
The determined sulfite level in the diluted rainwater sample without spiking sulfite is 5.7
M, which means the sulfite concentration in undiluted rainwater is ca. 17.1 M.

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