Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a new class of fluorene-based V-shaped symmetric cationic molecules with D-p-A+- p -D architecture. They belong to a class of cationic dyes, which are widely used as fluorescent probes in imaging microscopy. Literature has revealed few examples of cationic dyes tailored to provide efficient two-photon absorption (2PA). The two-photon absorbing fluorescent cationic dyes we prepared have potential as red to near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes in the rapidly advancing field of two-photon fluorescence microscopy, a technique that provides natural confocality and high contrast in biological matrices. Significant to the design of these molecules is the diphenylamino acting as donor and a quinolizinium as the cationic acceptor. At the core of these molecules is a fluorenyl vinyl bridge (1 ) and an extended conjugated bridge provided by a fluorenyl alkynyl between the donor and acceptor (2 ). Single spectral measurements and 2PA cross sections via z-scan are presented to supported evidence that the presence of the cationic moiety and extra conjugation enhances the optical nonlinearity of these molecules.

Novel V-shaped cationic molecules as potential two-photon fluorescence probes

245th National Meeting (2013)

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