Microwave-assisted solvent-free synthesis and spectral properties of some dimethine cyanine dyes as fluorescent dyes for DNA detection

A series of dimethine cyanine dyes were synthesized in a fast, efficient and high yield by the condensation of quaternary salts with 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde in the presence of piperidine under solvent-free microwave irradiation. The products were identified by 1H NMR, IR, UV–vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The absorption and fluorescence properties of the dyes in both the free state and DNA or BSA were investigated. Significant enhancement of the fluorescent quantum yield was observed for all the dyes in the presence of DNA, with one compound demonstrating excellent sensitivity as a fluorescent probe.