Jiang N, Li KX, Wang JJ, Zhu YL, Zhu CY, Xu YH, Bryce MR. Amphiphilic Polyurethane with Cluster-Induced Emission for Multichannel Bioimaging in Living Cell Systems.
ACS Macro Lett 2024;
13:52-57. [PMID:
38147539 PMCID:
PMC10795471 DOI:
10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00657]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
The development of single-component materials with low cytotoxicity and multichannel fluorescence imaging capability is a research hotspot. In the present work, highly electron-deficient pyrazine monomers were covalently connected into a polyurethane backbone using addition polymerization with terminal poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether units containing a high density of electron pairs. Thereby, an amphiphilic polyurethane-pyrazine (PUP) derivative has been synthesized. The polymer displays cluster-induced emission through compact inter- and/or intramolecular noncovalent interactions and extensive through-space electron coupling and delocalization. Molecular rigidity facilitates red-shifted emission. Based on hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions and excitation dependence emission at low concentrations, PUP has been self-assembled into fluorescent nanoparticles (PUP NPs) without additional surfactant. PUP NPs have been used for cellular multicolor imaging to provide a variety of switchable colors on demand. This work provides a simple molecular design for environmentally sustainable, luminescent materials with excellent photophysical properties, biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and color modulation.
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