BODIPY derivatives bearing borneol moieties: Enhancing cell membrane permeability for living cell imaging

Abstract

Three novel boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes bearing borneol moieties have been designed, synthesized and characterized. The single-crystal structure of the compound 3 was also elucidated for the first time. Their photophysical properties and confocal fluorescence images were investigated by the optical spectroscopy and Confocal fluorescence microscopy. The results indicate that the ompounds 2–3 take on high fluorescence quantum yield and cell membrane permeability, which can be utilized as fluorescent visualizers for cell and lysosome fluorescence imaging.