Aggregation-Induced Emission, Functionalized Fluorescent Nanoparticles and Cells Imaging of a Water-Soluble Pyridyl-Naphthalimide Dendron

摘要

This paper reports on the design, synthesis and spectral characteristics of a novel pyridyl-naphthalimide aggregationinduced emission (AIE) dendron named PADN, and intermediate compound named PAN. PADN and PAN emitted brightly fluorescence in solid state and a maximum emission wavelength at 497 nm (green fluorescence) and 454 nm (blue fluorescence) in pure THF solution respectively. A considerable fluorescence intensity was found for PADN when water fraction reached a high value (the quantum yield of 90% water fraction was 0.15). Because of a stable core-shell structure by the surface contains easily modified amino groups, the two AIEdendrons were successfully encapsulated in silica matrix, emitting bright green fluorescence with 0.33 quantum yield (PADN) and clear blue fluorescence with 0.27 quantum yield (PAN). Additionally, dye PADN was successfully applied for cell imaging, getting clear green-field photograph, which indicated a better uptake by lung cancer cells A-549 and suggested its promising application for biosensors.