Synthetic receptors for hydrosulfide

A method for detecting for the presence of HS− in a biological system, comprising contacting a sample from the system with a compound, or a protonate or salt thereof, thereby detecting the presence of HS− in the system, wherein the compound, or the protonate or salt thereof, has a structure represented by:

• wherein Y is selected from:
• wherein R20, R50, R52, and R53 are each independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, a polyether moiety, carboxyl, substituted carboxyl, carbamate, substituted carbonate, carbonyloxy, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, haloalkyl, halogen, nitro, amino, aryloxy, cyano, hydroxyl, or sulfonyl, and R51, R54 and R55 are each hydrogen;
• each R15 is independently H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, a polyether moiety, carboxyl, substituted carboxyl, carbamate, substituted carbonate, carbonyloxy, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, haloalkyl, halogen, nitro, amino, amido, aryloxy, cyano, hydroxyl, or sulfonyl;
• each X is independently halogen, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, alkyl, substituted alkyl or a polyether moiety;
• and
• m is 0 to 5.