Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based fluorescent conjugated polymer for application of sensing fluoride ion and bioimaging

• A new DPP-based polymer sensor containing fluorene moiety has been synthesized.
• Polymer sensor shows better selectivity and photostability than small molecular one.
• DPP-based polymeric nanoparticle shows good capability for bioimaging.

Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymer (P1) was designed as the conjugated amplifying polymer for sensing fluoride ion and bioimaging. The delocalized electronic structure of this polymer was composed by copolymerization of DPP and fluorene monomers in the main chain. Some unalkylation imide moieties in DPP monomer (1) offered emission traps for the excited state (exciton) transport. Fluoride ion was induced as quencher to interrupt electronic energy transfer (EET) by strong deprotonated interaction. The obvious quenching of fluorescence and red-to-purple color change shows P1 can act as the great promise sensor for the detection of fluoride ion. Furthermore, P1 was fabricated to polymeric nanoparticles for bioimaging. This report provides a feasible way to construct the useful fluorescent sensing and bioimaging materials.

Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymer (P1) was constructed by copolymerization of DPP and fluorene monomers. Some unalkylation imide moieties in DPP monomer offered emission traps and fluoride ion was induced as quencher to interrupt electronic energy transfer by strong deprotonated interaction. The obvious quenching of fluorescence and color change from red to purple show that P1 can act as a great promise sensor for the detection of fluoride ion. Furthermore, polymeric nanoparticle was successfully fabricated for bioimaging of KB cells.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide