Evaluation of Anisole‐Substituted Boron Difluoride Formazanate Complexes for Fluorescence Cell Imaging

Evaluation of three subclasses of boron difluoride formazanate complexes bearing o‐, m‐, and p‐anisole N‐aryl substituents (Ar) as readily accessible alternatives to boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes for cell imaging applications is described. While the wavelengths of maximum absorption (λ_max) and emission (λ_em) observed for each subclass of complexes, which differed by their carbon‐bound substituents (R), were similar, the emission quantum yields for 7 a – c (R=cyano) were enhanced relative to 8 a – c (R=nitro) and 9 a – c (R=phenyl). Complexes 7 a – c and 8 a – c were also significantly easier to reduce electrochemically to their radical anion and dianion forms compared to 9 a – c . Within each subclass, the o‐substituted derivatives were more difficult to reduce, had shorter λ_max and λ_em, and lower emission quantum yields than the p‐substituted analogues as a result of sterically driven twisting of the N‐aryl substituents and a decrease in the degree of π‐conjugation. The m‐substituted complexes were the least difficult to reduce and possessed intermediate λ_max, λ_em, and quantum yields. The complexes studied also exhibited large Stokes shifts (82–152 nm, 2143–5483 cm^?1). Finally, the utility of complex 7 c (Ar=p‐anisole, R=cyano), which can be prepared for just a few dollars per gram, for fluorescence cell imaging was demonstrated. The use of 7 c and 4′,6‐diamino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) allowed for simultaneous imaging of the cytoplasm and nucleus of mouse fibroblast cells.