A ratio-metric fluorescent sensor design platform with red emission of Europium(III) as built-in fluorescence correction

A Eu^III-containing single molecule BCR-Eu as design platform for ratio-metric fluorescent sensor which includes a blue-emitting coumarin dye, a green-emitting BODIPY fluorophore and a Eu^III moiety as the origin of red light has been designed and synthesized. The compound BCR shows only green emission with large stoke shift when excited in 400 nm due to good fluorescence resonance energy transfer from coumarin to BODIPY. After embedding Eu^III complexes in the molecule, BCR-Eu exhibits dual emission which is equal in magnitude and independent of each other, when excited at the range of 305–365 nm. An emission from Lanthanide complexes as the stable built-in standard fluorescence peak offers a promising opportunity to enhance the precision of bioimaging and also an ideal design platform for future ratio-metric fluorescent sensor.