Synthesis and cytotoxicity of azo nano-materials as new biosensors for l-Arginine determination

Inspired from biological counterparts, chemical modification of azo derivatives with function groups may provide a highly efficient method to detect amino acid. Herein, we have designed and prepared a series of azo nano-materials involving –NO 2 , –COOH, –SO 3 H and naphthyl group, which showed high response for Arginine (Arg) among normal twenty kinds of (Alanine, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Methionine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, Arginine, Glycine, Serine, Threonine, Asparagine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Tryptophan, Proline, Lysine, Glutamine, Tyrosine and Cysteine). Furthermore, theoretical investigation further illustrated the possible binding mode in the host-guest interaction and the roles of molecular frontier orbitals in molecular interplay. In addition, nano-material 3 exhibited high binding ability for Arg and low cytotoxicity to KYSE450 cells over a concentration range of 5–50   μmol   ·   L −   1 which may be used a biosensor for the Arg detection in vivo.