Detection of nitrates and their decomposition products by means of fluorescence measurement

A molecular probe,

• wherein the molecular probe is configured for selective detection of a nitrate and/or a decomposition product of a nitrate by generating a fluorescence signal in response to an excitation at 365 nm,
• wherein the molecular probe is a triarylborane dye according to formula (7):
• wherein
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of NHCH2CH2NH2, NHCH2CH2NH(alkyl), NHCH2CH2NHPh, NHCH2CH2NHAr, NHNH2, NHNHMe, NHNHPh, NHNHAr, NHNHCH2CH2NH2, NHNHCH2CH2NH(alkyl), NHNHCH2CH2NHPh, NHNHCH2CH2NHAr, CO—NHCH2CH2NH2, CO—NHNH2, CO—NHNHMe, CO—NHNHCH2CH2NH2, CO—NHNHCH2CH2NHPh, CO—NHNHCH2CH2NHAr, NH—CO—NHNH2, NHNH—CO—NHNH2, NHNH—CO—NH2, NH—CS—NHNH—CO—Me, NH—CO—NHNH—CO—Me, CO—NHNH—CS—NH2, NH—CS—NHNH—CO-alkyl, CO—NHNH—CS—NH(alkyl),
• and regioisomers of the amine groups of (a)-(d);
• R17 is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, F, Cl, Br, I, CF3, NH2, NO2, CO2H, CH2OH, CH2O(alkyl), CH2NMe2, CH2N(alkyl)2, OH, OMe, OiPr, and O(alkyl);
• R18 is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, F, Cl, Br, I, CF3, NH2, NO2, CO2H, CH2OH, CH2O(alkyl), CH2NMe2, CH2N(alkyl)2, OH, OMe, OiPr, and O(alkyl);
• R19 is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, F, Cl, Br, I, CF3, NH2, NO2, CO2H, CH2OH, CH2O(alkyl), CH2NMe2, CH2N(alkyl)2, OH, OMe, OiPr, and O(alkyl);
• R20 is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, Et, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, CF3, CO—Me, CO-alkyl, CO-aryl, NH2, OMe, OiPr, and O(alkyl);
• R21 is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, Et, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, CF3, CO—Me, CO-alkyl, CO-aryl, NH2, OMe, OiPr, and O(alkyl);
• R22 is H,
• each of R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, and R14 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, Me, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, F, Cl, Br, I, —CF3, —CH2OH, —CH2Oalkyl, —CH2NMe2, —CH2N(alkyl)2, —CH2P(tBu)2, —CH2P(alkyl)2, —OMe, —OiPr, —O(alkyl), —NH2, —NHMe, —NH(alkyl), —NEt2, —N(alkyl)2, —NHPh, —NHAr, —NHNH2, —NHNHMe, —NHNMe2, —NHNEt2, —NHN(alkyl)2, —NHNHPh, —NHNHAr, —NHNPh2, —NHNAr2, —CO—NH2, —CO—NHMe, —CO—NMe2, —CO—NEt2, —CO—N(alkyl)2, —CO—NHPh, —CO—NHAr, —CO—NHNH2, —CO—NHNHMe, —CO—NHNMe2, —CO—NHNEt2, and —CO—NHN(alkyl)2,
• and
• i) each of R15, and R16 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, Me, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, aryl, F, Cl, Br, I, —CF3, —CH2OH, —CH2O(alkyl), —CH2NMe2, —CH2N(alkyl)2, —CH2P(tBu)2, —CH2P(alkyl)2, —OMe, —OiPr, —O(alkyl), —NH2, —NHMe, —NH(alkyl), —NEt2, —N(alkyl)2, —NHPh, —NHAr, —NHNH2, —NHNHMe, —NHNMe2, —NHNEt2, —NHN(alkyl)2, —NHNHPh, —NHNHAr, —NHNPh2, —NHNAr2, —CO—NH2, —CO—NHMe, —CO—NMe2, —CO—NEt2, —CO—N(alkyl)2, —CO—NHPh, —CO—NHAr, —CO—NHNH2, —CO—NHNHMe, —CO—NHNMe2, —CO—NHNEt2, and —CO—NHN(alkyl)2,
• or
• ii) each of R15, and R16 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I, Me, alkyl, phenyl, aryl, vinyl, alkynyl, CF3, NMe2, NPh2, and BMes2;
• or
• iii) each of R15 and R16 is independently selected from the group consisting of
• with
• n and m being independently selected from the group consisting of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4;
• wherein n+m≥1.