A near infrared colorimetric and fluorometric probe for organophosphorus nerve agent mimics by intramolecular amidation.

A near infrared probe for sensitive colorimetric and fluorimetric detection of nerve agent mimics, DCP and DCNP, was reported based on the activation of a carboxylic acid group by the mimics to conduct an intramolecular amidation reaction in the heptamethine chromophore, where its absorption or excitation maximum wavelength could be greatly red-shifted by attenuating the electron-donating ability of the amine group in the bridgehead site of heptamethine cyanine.