Lysine triggered ratiometric conversion of dynamic to static excimer of a pyrene derivative: aggregation-induced emission, nanomolar detection and human breast cancer cell (MCF7) imaging.

A simple pyrene based probe (A3) derived from pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde and 2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-ol shows unique optical response triggered by the concentration of lysine (Lys). This allows selective nanomolar detection of Lys via a cascade of processes, dynamic to static-excimer conversion in a ratiometric manner followed by aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Imaging of Lys in the human breast cancer cell (MCF7) has been achieved.