Cyanide sensing compounds and uses thereof

A method for testing a biological or environmental test sample for the presence of a cyanide compound, the method comprising:

• a) reacting a boronic acid containing fluorophore with the sample,
• b) illuminating the sample containing the fluorophore to generate an optical signal;
• and
• c) observing the sample with means for detecting the optical signal, wherein changes in the optical signal indicates the presence of cyanide, wherein the boronic acid containing is present in a concentration of about 100 nM to about 20 uM;
• the cyanide is present in a concentration of about 5 uM to about 50 uM;
• the illuminating step is accomplished using excitation at a range from about 330 to about 370 nm;
• and the observing step is accomplished using a fluorometer, fluorescence microscope, a laser scanner, or flow cytometer.

A method for testing a sample for the presence of a cyanide compound, the method comprising:

• a) reacting at least one boronic acid containing fluorophore with the sample, wherein the boronic acid containing fluorophore is
• and wherein R1 is a straight chain or branched C1-C4 alkyl group, C1-C4 alkoxy group, aryl group, or an amine group NR5R6, wherein R5 and R6 may be the same as or different from one another and is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C4 alkyl groups, and, R2, R3 and R4 may be the same or different and may be hydrogen or B(OH)2 with the proviso that the compound comprises one B(OH)2 group;
• b) illuminating the sample and boronic acid containing fluorophore to generate a response in a fluorescent property;
• and
• c) observing the sample with means for detecting the fluorescent property, wherein a change in the fluorescent property relative to a control value for an unbounded free boronic acid containing fluorophore indicates the presence of cyanide.