Patents

The invention describes a novel colorimetric chemosensor molecule having a aza-macrocycle Zn (II)-complex (L.Zn) (Scheme 1, Formula 1A) which can recognize selectively and efficiently ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), a biologically significant triphosphate in aqueous medium at pH 7.4. Since ATP is the source of energy in living organisms, L.Zn (Scheme 1, Formula 1A) can also be used as a staining agent in the living cells through binding to ATP, generated in situ during the metabolic processes. L.Zn (Scheme 1, Formula 1A) was found to be non-toxic to the living cell and microbial cell growth studies could be monitored. Thus L.Zn (Scheme 1, Formula 1A) could be used as a viable staining agent. Further, the solubility of L.Zn (Scheme 1, Formula 1A) in water was enhanced in presence of a-CD (cyclodextrin) (Scheme 2). This helped to achieve faster and more intense staining of living cells. Thus staining efficiency could also be improved further by using α-CD.