Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission Nanoparticles by Varying Isolation Groups in Perylene Diimide Derivatives and Application in Three-Photon Fluorescence Bioimaging

作者：Luyi Zong, Hequn Zhang, Yaqin Li, Yanbin Gong, Dongyu Li, Jiaqiang Wang, Zhe Wang, Yujun Xie, Mengmeng Han, Qian Peng, Xuefeng Li, Jinfeng Dong, Jun Qian, Qianqian Li, Zhen Li · 发表于：ACS Nano · 年份：2018 · DOI：10.1021/acsnano.8b05090 · 被引用次数：145 · 研究领域：Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials、Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics、Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Chemistry

The development of fluorogens with deep-red emission is one of the hottest topics of investigation in the field of bio/chemosensors and bioimaging. Herein, the tunable fluorescence of perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives was achieved by the incorporation of varied isolation groups linked on the PDI core. With the enlarged sizes of isolation groups, the conversion from aggregation caused quenching to aggregation-induced emission was obtained in their fluorescence variations from solutions to nanoparticles, as the result of the efficient inhibition of π-π stacking by the larger isolation groups. Accordingly, DCzPDI bearing 1,3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)benzene as the biggest isolation group exhibited the bright deep-red emission in the aggregated state with a quantum yield of 12.3%. Combined with the three-photon excited fluorescence microscopy (3PFM) technology, through-skull 3PFM imaging of mouse cerebral vasculature can be realized by DCzPDI nanoparticles with good biocompatibility, and the penetration depth can be as deep as 450 μm.