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Materials and Apparatus: Hyperpure water was used to prepare all aqueous solutions. Most
materials were purchased from Shanghai Aladdin Bio-Chem Technology Co., LTD. ADT-OH was
purchased from Bidepharm. Tert-Butyl nitrite was purchased from J&K. The confocal
fluorescence images of the cells were determined with confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM,
LSM800, Zeiss, Germany) and the fluorescence images of the mice were determined with CCD
from princeton instrument. All NMR data was collected using a Bruker 400 MHz. Mass
spectroscopy data was collected on Waters Q-TOF MicroTM. High Performance Liquid
Chromatography data was collected on Thermo Scientific dionex ultimate 3000.
Synthesis:
Scheme S1. Synthesis itinerary of NRh-N3
Synthesis of compound 1:
1,1,2-Trimethylbenz[e]indole (2.09 g 10.0 mmol) and iodoethane (1.56 g 10.0 mmol) were placed
in a flask containing dry toluene (15.0 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 130°C with solvent
reflux under a nitrogen atmosphere for 8 hours. The solution was removed under vacuum filtration
and washed with ether to produce compoud 1 as a blue solid (2.92 g, yield 80%). 1H NMR (400
MHz, MeOD) δ 8.34 (t, J = 12.6 Hz, 1H), 8.27 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 8.19 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 1H), 8.05
(d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 7.83 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.74 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 4.89 (s, 3H), 4.70 (q, J = 7.3
Hz, 2H), 1.87 (s, 6H), 1.66 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI+): calcd for C17H20N+, 238.2 [M]+; found,
238.1589 [M]+.
Synthesis of NIR-Cl:
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Compound 1 (2.92 g, 8.0 mmol) and N-((2-Chloro-3((phenylimino)methyl)cyclohex-2en-1-
ylidene)methyl)aniline hydrochloride (1.44 g, 4.0 mmol) was added into a flask containing dry
acetic anhydride and potassium acetate under a nitrogen atmosphere. The mixture was stirred at
60°C for 3 hours. The solution was hydrolysed by sodium bicarbonate and removed under vacuum
filtration to produce NIR-Cl as a red solid (2.35 g, yield 80%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, MeOD) δ 8.90
(d, J = 15.3 Hz, 1H), 8.43 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.18 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 8.11 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H),
7.86 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 7.78 (ddd, J = 8.4, 6.9, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.68 – 7.62 (m, 1H), 7.53 (d, J = 8.3
Hz, 1H), 7.30 (s, 1H), 7.25 – 7.19 (m, 1H), 7.13 – 7.02 (m, 1H), 6.68 (d, J = 15.2 Hz, 1H), 4.60 (q,
J = 7.3 Hz, 2H), 2.80 (dt, J = 11.9, 5.9 Hz, 4H), 2.12 (d, J = 5.1 Hz, 6H), 1.99 (dd, J = 10.5, 4.4
Hz, 2H), 1.59 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI+): calcd for C42H44ClN2+, 611.3 [M]+; found,
611.3186 [M]+.
Synthesis of NRh-NH2:
NIR-Cl (1.47 g, 2.0 mmol) and 3-Nitrophenol (0.42 g, 3.0 mmol) were placed in a flask containing
dry N,N-dimethylformamide and triethylamine under a nitrogen atmosphere at 85°C for 3 hours.
SnCl2 (3.80 g, 20.0 mmol) dissolved in concentrated HCl (4.0 mL) was added the above solution
under nitrogen atmosphere. The mixture was stirred at 85°C for 8 hours. Then the solution was
removed under vacuum filtration at 85°C. The crude product was purified by silica column
chromatography using CH2Cl2/CH3OH (50:1) as the eluent to produce the NRh-NH2 compound as
a black solid (0.72 g, yield 50%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, MeOD) δ 8.77 (d, J = 14.4 Hz, 1H), 8.30 (d,
J = 8.6 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 1H), 8.05 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (dd, J = 12.7, 6.4 Hz, 2H),
7.54 (dd, J = 14.6, 7.2 Hz, 2H), 7.40 – 7.33 (m, 1H), 6.78 (dd, J = 5.6, 1.8 Hz, 2H), 6.33 (d, J =
14.4 Hz, 1H), 4.40 (q, J = 7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.78 (dt, J = 16.7, 5.9 Hz, 4H), 2.11 (d, J = 14.3 Hz, 6H),
2.00 – 1.93 (m, 2H), 1.52 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI+): calcd for C31H31N2O+, 447.2 [M]+; found,
447.3 [M]+.
Synthesis of NRh-N3:
NRh-NH2 (0.47 g,1.0 mmol) and tert-Butyl nitrite (0.52 g,5.0 mmol), trimethylsilyl azide (0.58 g,
5.0 mmol) were placed in a flask containing dry N,N-dimethylformamide under a nitrogen
atmosphere for 5 hours. The solution was removed under vacuum filtration at 85°C. The crude
product was purified by silica column chromatography using CH2Cl2/CH3OH (50:1) as the eluent
to produce the NRh-N3 compound as a black solid (0.37 g, yield 79%). 1H NMR (400 MHz,
MeOD) δ 8.90 (d, J = 15.3 Hz, 1H), 8.43 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 1H), 8.18 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 8.11 (t, J =
7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.86 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 7.78 (ddd, J = 8.4, 6.9, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.68 – 7.62 (m, 1H),
7.53 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (s, 1H), 7.25 – 7.19 (m, 1H), 7.13 – 7.02 (m, 1H), 6.68 (d, J = 15.2
Hz, 1H), 4.60 (q, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H), 2.80 (dt, J = 11.9, 5.9 Hz, 4H), 2.12 (d, J = 5.1 Hz, 6H), 1.99
(dd, J = 10.5, 4.4 Hz, 2H), 1.59 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H). 13C NMR (101 MHz, DMSO) δ 159.08,
153.58, 144.86, 142.92, 139.03, 137.07, 133.00, 131.36, 131.13, 129.67, 128.66, 127.52, 126.85,
123.15, 119.40, 116.88, 114.65, 113.00, 106.89, 105.82, 52.88, 31.58, 30.49, 30.29, 29.50, 27.34,
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Figure S9. Mass spectra of NRh-N3.
Response of NRh-N3 to H2S in vitro:
4.70 mg NRh-N3 was soluted to 1.0 mL DMSO (10.0 mM NRh-N3 solution), 8.30 mg 67%NaHS
was soluted in 10.0 mL water (10.0 mM NaHS solution). 3.0 μL NRh-N3 solution was added into
cuvette after the addition of 3.0 mL PBS buffer (pH 7.4) and initial absorbance spectrum were
obtained. Then 3.0 μL NaHS solution was added many a time and each time reacted at room
temperature for 10 min, the metabolic absorbance spectra were obtained.. 3.0 μL NRh-N3 solution
was added into all sides cuvette after the addition of 3.0 mL PBS buffer (pH 7.4) and initial
fluorescence spectrum were obtained. The same operation as the previous step, we got the
metabolic fluorescence spectra. We signed five bottles(1-5). We added the 10.0 μM NRh-N3 into
(1-4)four bottles and 10.0 μM NRh-NH2 into the remaining bottle(5). Then we added various
concentration NaHS solutions into (1-4) bottles and injected into High Performance Liquid
Chromatography.
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Figure S12. Image showing colour change after addition of various NaHS into NRh-N3 before
adding into High Performance Liquid Chromatography.
m/z50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650
%
0
100SAMPLE-0424-01 1924 (35.831) TOF MS ES+
1.29e3447.3
445.3
432.3448.3
473.3
N3
Figure S13. Mass spectra of solution in bottle 3.
Response of NRh-N3 to other reductants in vitro:
We prepared 10μM NRh-N3, And reacted with 1.0 mM H2O2, 200.0 μM NaNO2, 200.0 μM
NaNO3, 1.0 mM Vc, 1.0 mM Va, NaHS, 200.0 μM NaS2O3, 200.0 μM NaSO4, 1.0 mM Hcy, 1.0
mM GSH, 1.0 mM Cys and 200.0 μM NaHS solutions for 15 min at room temperature. We got the
fluorescence spectra. And we selected the fluorescence intensity of 730 nm and analyzed with
origin8 software.
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Figure S15. MTT assay for estimating cell viability (%) of U87 cells treated with various
concentrations of NRh-N3 (0-100.0 μM) after 48 h incubation.
Confocal Imaging :
Fluorescent images were observed with confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM, LSM800,
Zeiss, Germany) with objective lens (×63),And processed using the ZEN imaging software. The
excitation wavelength was 635 nm. Cell imaging was carried out after washing cells with fresh
complete medium (DMEM+10% FBS, 2×1.0 mL) and preserve in 4% PFA.
Cell culture:
We use human glioma cells U87 cells for biological experiments and grew them in DMEM with
10% FBS. Cultures were maintained at 37 °C under a humidified atmosphere containing 5%
CO2.The cells were subcultured by scraping and seeding on 20 mm glass bottom cell culture dish.
Fluorescent imaging in living mice:
BALB/c nude mice (20.0 g-25.0 g) were obtained from Nangjing University. Mice were group-
housed on a 12:12 light-dark cycle at 25 °C with free access to food and water. BALB/c nude
mice were selected and divided into four groups. First group was given subcutaneous injection
with NRh-N3 as a control group. Second groups were given subcutaneous injection with NaHS
after NRh-N3 as a treatment group. Then the rest mice were administrated with NRh-N3 by tail
vein injection. And last group intraperitoneally injected ADT-OH was chosen as treatment group.