Luminescent materials find wide application in biological imaging applications. Difluoroboron �-diketonate (bdk) complexes have desirable properties for optical imaging. When in a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer matrix such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), they have strong, even two photon absorption, intense fluorescence and room temperature phosphorescence. That this dual emission is also present at body temperature makes them ideal for applications in biology and medicine. Previously we reported that BF2bdkPLA dye emission properties are tunable through dye molecular structure, heavy atom substitution, and polymer molecular weight (i.e. dye loading). As nanoparticles, these materials have been utilized in cell, tissue and in vivo optical imaging studies. Dynamic oxygen maps of tumor hypoxia, primate brain function and cell-seeded matrices have been demonstrated. Recent studies focus on understanding and further tuning dye optical properties, namely red-shifting absorption and emission, for safer non-UV wavelength excitation and greater tissue penetration of light. Furthermore, for ratiometric imaging it is important to understand factors that control relative fluorescence and phosphorescence wavelengths and intensities. Modulating luminescence lifetimes and thus, oxygen sensitivity is also important to different optical imaging applications and modalities. Progress in the synthesis and characterization of heavy atom-substituted dye-PLA analogues will be discussed. Naphthyl-substituted dyes will be highlighted. Fabrication and use in optical imaging and biological oxygen sensing will be presented.

Tuning optical properties of difluoroboron �-diketonate biomaterials for oxygen sensing

248th National Meeting (2014)

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