Phosphorescent Imaging of Living Cells Using a Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complex

Phosphorescent proteins for bio-imaging and site selective bio-conjugation of peptides and proteins with luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes.

A new bio-conjugation reaction for site selective modification of proteins and peptides with phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes has been developed; the Ir(III)-modified proteins and peptides display long emission lifetimes and large Stoke shifts that can be used for bio-imaging studies.

Development of a cyclometalated iridium complex with specific intramolecular hydrogen-bonding that acts as a fluorescent marker for the endoplasmic reticulum and causes photoinduced cell death† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Detailed synthesis; photophysical data (Table S1); pH dependent phosphorescence lifetime of complex C2 (Table S2); crystallographic parameters of C2; selected bond distances and angles of C2 (Table S3); cyclic voltammetric data of complexes C1–C11 (Table S4); 1H NMR spectra of ligands and complexes (Fig. S1 and S3); ESI-MS spectra of ligands and complexes (Fig. S2 and S4); fluorescence spectra of the complexes in acetonitrile and at pH 4, 7 and 9, exponential decay curve of C2 (Fig. S5); pH dependent fluorescence spectrum of complexes C1–C11 (Fig. S6); DIC and confocal fluorescence images of live MCF7 cells not treated with C2 but exposed to photoirradiation at 405 nm for 30 min; the cells were treated with DCFDA and fluorescence images were obtained at 529 nm after excitation at 495 nm (Fig. S7). ESI videos 1 and 2. CCDC 967841. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c4dt00845f Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file.

Cyclometalated iridium complexes have important applications as phosphorescent probes for cellular imaging due to their photophysical properties. Moreover, these properties also make them potential candidates as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors and skin diseases. Treatment of MCF7 breast carcinoma cells with a heteroleptic phosphorescent cyclometalated iridium(III) comp...

Synthetically Tailored Excited States: Phosphorescent, Cyclometalated Iridium ACHTUNGTRENNUNG(III) Complexes and Their Applications

Mitochondria-specific phosphorescent imaging and tracking in living cells with an AIPE-active iridium(III) complex.

An AIPE-active iridium(III) complex was found to possess high specificity for mitochondria, superior photostability, low cytotoxicity, and high resistance to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Thus, this complex can be used for mitochondrial imaging and tracking in living cells.

Cyclometalated iridium(III) polypyridine dibenzocyclooctyne complexes as the first phosphorescent bioorthogonal probes.

We report the synthesis, photophysical behavior, and biological properties of new cyclometalated iridium(iii) polypyridine complexes appended with a dibenzocyclooctyne (DIBO) moiety; these complexes have been utilized as the first phosphorescent bioorthogonal probes for azide-modified biomolecules.