Efficient two-step synthesis of water soluble BODIPY-TREN chemosensors for copper(ii) ions

Abstract

Two simple fluorescent sensors for Cu(ii) ions were synthesized in two reaction steps, using recently developed C-H functionalization reactions for boron dipyrrins, starting from a standard 8-aryl-BODIPY dye and a tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) ligand. At pH 5, the resulting BODIPY-TREN conjugates are demonstrated to be promising, highly selective, water soluble, Cu(ii) sensors that can permeate the cell membrane.