This invention provides a class of near-
infrared molecular probes that specifically bind to
human serum albumin, their preparation methods, and applications. The near-
infrared molecular probes are one of NFH-1, NFH-2, NFH-3, NFH-4, NFH-5, NFH-6, and NFH-7, with the general formula: [Formula omitted for brevity]. In this formula, R is selected from methyl, benzyl, fluorobenzyl, phenethyl, 2,4-dimethylbenzyl, 3-methoxybenzyl, and p-
carboxybenzyl. This invention uses a hydroxyl hemicyanine dye as the
fluorophore and introduces a series of hydrophobic functional groups (-R) onto the phenolic hydroxyl group to regulate molecular properties to match the hydrophobic domains of
human serum albumin. These probes can avoid background interference from endogenous substances in clinical blood samples, improve the
signal-to-
noise ratio and accuracy of detection, and are simple to prepare, fluorescently sensitive, highly resistant to interference, and highly stable, providing an efficient tool for clinical
human serum albumin detection.