The Zhang Xiaobing-Yuan Lin research group at Hunan University has developed a novel single-benzene-based fluorescent dye (SBFs) (Figure 1). This dye offers universal emission wavelength tunability, covering the entire visible spectrum in both solutions and solid states 1.

By overcoming the strong intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding limitations of most monobenzene dyes, the team significantly improved fluorescence quantum yield. Additionally, by fine-tuning the electron-donating groups, SBFs fluorescence emission can be easily adjusted from ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths.

Figure 1  Rational engineering principle of single-benzene fluorophore (SB-Fluor).¹

• Optimized for Biological Imaging & Detection
  • High fluorescence quantum yield
  • Large Stokes shift for enhanced resolution
  • Strong two-photon absorption capability

• Environmentally Insensitive & Highly Stable
  • Maintains fluorescence properties in various environments
  • Ideal for long-term imaging and detection applications

• Broad Applications & Efficient Reactions
  • Can be easily modified into fluorescent probes with a single-step reaction
  • Enables efficient detection, imaging, and labeling of endogenous biological substances

Beyond biological applications, SBF3 fluorescent dye exhibits polymorphism-dependent reversible mechanochromic luminescence (Figure 2a-b). This feature makes it highly promising for smart color-changing materials and advanced material science applications.

To validate the superior characteristics of SBFs dyes, the research team developed:

• HClO-SBF Fluorescent Probe (Figure 2c-d)

  • Enables real-time detection of HClO in vivo and in vitro.

• Mito-SBF Mitochondrial Co-localization Reagent (Figure 2c, e)

  • Achieves precise in vivo mitochondrial imaging and localization.

These developments demonstrate the versatility and high performance of SBFs dyes in biological, chemical, and materials science applications.

Figure 2 Photographs of as-prepared SBF3 and after grinding under (a) visible light and (b) 365 nm irradiation. (c) Structures of HClO-SBF and Mito-SBF. (d) The fluorescence spectra of HClO-SBF (10 μM) in the presence of various concentrations of HClO (0–200 μM) in PBS buffer (25 mM, pH 7.4) under excitation at 370 nm. (e) Intracellular localization of Mito-SBF and Mito-tracker Green in HepG2 cells. Scale bar: 10 μm.¹

Professor Yuan Lin is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University and the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biosensing and Metrology. Currently, he has published more than 100 papers in international academic journals, with a total citation of more than 12,000 times, and an h-index of 58. Among them, the first or corresponding author from 2012 to present in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (10 articles), Nat. Commun. (1 article), Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (10 articles), CCS Chem. (1 article), Chem. Sci. (4 articles), Anal. Chem. (10 articles), Adv. Funct. Mater., Biomaterials, and others. Mainly engaged in research on small molecule fluorescent probes and their applications.

Product list

Product name：
SBF2, 95%
CAS：2378641-53-1
Item number：9332547
Fluorescence properties：λex 399 nm; λem 463 nm

 

Product name：
SBF3, 95%
CAS：2378643-51-5
Item number：9332548
Fluorescence properties：λex 410 nm; λem 533 nm

Product name：
SBF4, 95%
CAS：2378641-02-0
Item number：9332549
Fluorescence properties：λex 431 nm; λem 491 nm

 

Product name：
SBF5, 95%
CAS：2378641-02-0
Item number：956384
Fluorescence properties：λex 428 nm; λem 543 nm

 

Product name：
SBF6, 95%
CAS：2378627-17-7
Item number：9332550
Fluorescence properties：λex 413 nm; λem 539 nm

 

Product name：
SBF7, 95%
CAS：2378643-51-5
Item number：947353
Fluorescence properties：λex 429 nm; λem 582 nm

 

Product name：
SBF8, 95%
CAS：2378641-69-9
Item number：9332551
Fluorescence properties：λex 505 nm; λem 654 nm

 

Product name：
Mito-SBF, 95%
CAS：2409179-17-3
Item number：9332552
Fluorescence properties：λex 375 nm; λem 460 nm

Product name：
HClO-SBF, 95%
CAS：2378640-54-9
Item number：9332826
Fluorescence properties：λex 370 nm; λem 470 nm

References

• Xiang Z, Wang Z Y, Ren T B, et al. A general strategy for development of a single benzene fluorophore with full-color-tunable, environmentally insensitive, and two-photon solid-state emission. Chemical Communications, 2019, 55(76): 11462-11465.