RUI: Near-infrared Emitting Lanthanide Complexes and Their Metallopolymers

Eastern Illinois University, Charleston IL

Investigators

Abstract

With this award, the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program of the Division of Chemistry is funding Professor Hongshan He of Eastern Illinois University to develop new chemical compounds for bio-imaging and sensing. These compounds can be used to label tissues or other target structures, and after being activated by a light source, emit light, enablingimaging. Professor He's approach is to develop compounds that (i) do not need to be activated by ultraviolet light as such high energy radiation can damage biological tissues, and (ii) emit light at characteristic wavelengths that are not present in background emissions associated with biological systems. The project aims to provide opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research and gain hands-on research experience. The participation of high school students and science teachers in summer workshops is designed to stimulate student interest in pursuing studies in STEM fields. Fluorescent materials are used for a variety of biomedical diagnostic applications, such as immunoassays. The significant overlap of biological substrate autofluorescence and fluorescence from commercially available probes dramatically compromises detection sensitivity. This project is aimed to address fundamental questions and such technical issues by developing rationally designed near-infrared emitting lanthanide materials through synthesis, computation, and photophysical studies. The project is focusing on BODIPY-based chromophores and aims to address a long-standing corollary concern of poor near-infrared emission of lanthanide materials in aqueous solutions. To meet the challenge, the lanthanide complexes are to be transformed to metallopolymers through carbon-carbon coupling reactions to suppress quenching and enable efficient near-infrared emission to be retained. The metallopolymers being targeted are designed to emit in the near-infrared region of the spectrum (900-1600 nm) under longer excitation wavelengths,thereby reducing autofluorescence and photobleaching.