Abstract
A fluorogen named 1-decyl-1-methyl-2,5-bis{4-[(N,N-diethylamino)methyl]phenyl}-3,4-diphenylsilole (3) was synthesized. It emitted weakly as isolated molecule but strongly as supramolecular aggregate, showing a characteristic behavior of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The molecules of 3 formed highly emissive nanoparticles in aqueous media, which quickly and selectively marked cytoplasm of HeLa cells and posed no toxicity to the living cells. The fluorogen is thus a promising candidate material for cell imaging as a sensitive, selective and cytocompatible biosensor.
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Supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (Grant Nos. 603008, 601608 and 602707), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 20634020) and the CAO GuangBiao Foundation of Zhejiang University.
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Yu, Y., Hong, Y., Feng, C. et al. Synthesis of an AIE-active fluorogen and its application in cell imaging. Sci. China Ser. B-Chem. 52, 15–19 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-009-0008-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-009-0008-0