Substituted maleimides are highly modifiable moieties that have found applications as adaptable efficient linkers in macromolecular applications. Recently, substituted maleimides have emerged as a class of small neutral fluorophores that are easily modified and highly functional, with superior environmental responsivity and comparatively long fluorescence lifetimes which have been introduced with ideal functional capacity in polymer modification areas. In this study, by emulsion polymerization of substituted maleimides based two-component photo-switchable monomers, the attention has primarily been focused on the fluorescent lifetime changing of polymeric nanogel during light-controlled energy transfer processes. Fine variations of the fluorescent lifetime in these polymeric nanogels <i>via</i> light manipulating were mapped by using rapid fluorescence lifetime microscopy (FLIM) imaging, allowing information encryption and quantitative coding in micro-scale. Most importantly, without the need for extra-long fluorescent lifetimes, the reversible manner provided a self-correction strategy and could largely decrease the background influence and increase the contrast in FLIM. As proof of the concept, the targeting group was functionalized on this novel lifetime switchable nanogel and single-cell coding was achieved by specifically directing the fluorescent system to mitochondria.

Substituted maleimides: Brighten up the new generation of polymeric nanogel for fluorescence lifetime barcoding

ACS Fall 2021

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