Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change

Junjie Cui; Gayoung Kim; Sehoon Kim; Ji Eon Kwon; Soo Young Park

doi:10.1002/cptc.202000023

Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change

Junjie Cui, Gayoung Kim, Sehoon Kim, Ji Eon Kwon, Soo Young Park

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We synthesized an amphiphilic small molecule 1 by attaching oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and N,N-diethylamine (DEA) units to a fluorescent dicyanodistyrylbenzene (DCS) core. The molecule is fully soluble in aqueous solution at low pH (pH<4.3) by protonation of the DEA groups; but, above pH 4.3, it self-assembles to form nanoparticles due to increased hydrophobicity upon deprotonation, leading to a ratiometric fluorescence color change from green emission in the monomeric form (λ_em,max=538 nm) to red emission in the aggregated form (λ_em,max=646 nm). It should be noted that the ratio of emission intensities at 538 nm and 646 nm (R=I₅₃₈/I₆₄₆) changes drastically about 42-fold within a very narrow pH range of 4.3–4.6.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	393-397
Number of pages	5
Journal	ChemPhotoChem
Volume	4
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/cptc.202000023
Publication status	Published - 2020 Jun 1
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

amphiphiles
bioimaging
fluorescence switching
pH responsiveness
self-assembly
supramolecular chemistry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1002/cptc.202000023

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

Cui, J., Kim, G., Kim, S., Kwon, J. E., & Park, S. Y. (2020). Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change. ChemPhotoChem, 4(6), 393-397. https://doi.org/10.1002/cptc.202000023

@article{b1451e001bf045ba8e9d4dfd4c669152,

title = "Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change",

abstract = "We synthesized an amphiphilic small molecule 1 by attaching oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and N,N-diethylamine (DEA) units to a fluorescent dicyanodistyrylbenzene (DCS) core. The molecule is fully soluble in aqueous solution at low pH (pH<4.3) by protonation of the DEA groups; but, above pH 4.3, it self-assembles to form nanoparticles due to increased hydrophobicity upon deprotonation, leading to a ratiometric fluorescence color change from green emission in the monomeric form (λem,max=538 nm) to red emission in the aggregated form (λem,max=646 nm). It should be noted that the ratio of emission intensities at 538 nm and 646 nm (R=I538/I646) changes drastically about 42-fold within a very narrow pH range of 4.3–4.6.",

keywords = "amphiphiles, bioimaging, fluorescence switching, pH responsiveness, self-assembly, supramolecular chemistry",

author = "Junjie Cui and Gayoung Kim and Sehoon Kim and Kwon, {Ji Eon} and Park, {Soo Young}",

year = "2020",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1002/cptc.202000023",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

pages = "393--397",

journal = "ChemPhotoChem",

issn = "2367-0932",

publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ultra-pH-Sensitive Small Molecule Probe Showing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Color Change

AU - Cui, Junjie

AU - Kim, Gayoung

AU - Kim, Sehoon

AU - Kwon, Ji Eon

AU - Park, Soo Young

PY - 2020/6/1

Y1 - 2020/6/1

N2 - We synthesized an amphiphilic small molecule 1 by attaching oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and N,N-diethylamine (DEA) units to a fluorescent dicyanodistyrylbenzene (DCS) core. The molecule is fully soluble in aqueous solution at low pH (pH<4.3) by protonation of the DEA groups; but, above pH 4.3, it self-assembles to form nanoparticles due to increased hydrophobicity upon deprotonation, leading to a ratiometric fluorescence color change from green emission in the monomeric form (λem,max=538 nm) to red emission in the aggregated form (λem,max=646 nm). It should be noted that the ratio of emission intensities at 538 nm and 646 nm (R=I538/I646) changes drastically about 42-fold within a very narrow pH range of 4.3–4.6.

AB - We synthesized an amphiphilic small molecule 1 by attaching oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and N,N-diethylamine (DEA) units to a fluorescent dicyanodistyrylbenzene (DCS) core. The molecule is fully soluble in aqueous solution at low pH (pH<4.3) by protonation of the DEA groups; but, above pH 4.3, it self-assembles to form nanoparticles due to increased hydrophobicity upon deprotonation, leading to a ratiometric fluorescence color change from green emission in the monomeric form (λem,max=538 nm) to red emission in the aggregated form (λem,max=646 nm). It should be noted that the ratio of emission intensities at 538 nm and 646 nm (R=I538/I646) changes drastically about 42-fold within a very narrow pH range of 4.3–4.6.

KW - amphiphiles

KW - bioimaging

KW - fluorescence switching

KW - pH responsiveness

KW - self-assembly

KW - supramolecular chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086151982&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85086151982&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/cptc.202000023

DO - 10.1002/cptc.202000023

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85086151982

VL - 4

SP - 393

EP - 397

JO - ChemPhotoChem

JF - ChemPhotoChem

SN - 2367-0932

IS - 6

ER -