The direct synthesis of bis[3-phenyl-5-oxoisoxazol-4-yl]pentamethineoxonol, which is shown to be the fluorescent probe OX-V (formerly MC-V), is described. The emission lifetime (0.9 f 0.1 ns) and the spectral properties of this dye in a number of systems are presented as well as the relative polarizations associated with the transition moments of the observable electronic transitions. The structure of OX-V was determined using elemental analysis and infrared and H nuclear magnetic resonance ( N M R ) spectroscopy. The use of the contact shift reagent, Eu(fod)3-d27, greatly facilitated the interpretation of the N M R results. In aqueous media, the anionic form of OX-V is present virtually exclusively due to the low solubility of the neutral species; formation of the latter species occurs when ethanol or methanol solutions of OX-V From the Department ofchemistry (P.R. and B.S.C.) and the Johnson Research Foundation (J.C.S. and B.Fellow (1974)(1975)(1976). are acidiied. Both neutral and anionic dye forms can be detected in chloroform-ethanol solvents. The fluorescence intensity from excitation of the neutral species is an order of magnitude weaker than that from excitation of the anionic form and may result from the formation of excited anions due to the loss of a proton by the neutral species in the excited state.Polarization results indicate that the visible absorption of the dye is due to a single electronic transition. OX-V has been employed as a probe primarily in beef heart submitochondrial particles. reconstituted ATPase vesicles, and pigeon heart mitochondria. The energy-linked spectral changes of the probe in these preparations are described and mechanisms proposed for the spectral effects.M-540. The dyes MC-I, MC-11, and OX-V' (formerly MC-V) have also been used extensively as probes (Chance. 1975). A red shift in the absorption spectrum of these dyes is observed when submitochondrial particles stained with these dyes are energized. In particular, the dye OX-V has been given extensive use. Changes in the absorption and fluorescence spectrum of this dye have been demonstrated when R. rubrum chromatophores are energized with 860-nm light (Chance and Baltscheffsky, 1975). Cohen et al. (see Chance, 1975) havealso demonstrated that the fluorescence of OX-V undergoes changes similar to those observed with MC-I in squid axons, but the former dye is not as sensitive in this system as the latter ~ Abbreviations used: U MR, nuclear magnetic resonance; OX-V. (formerly ;MC-V), bis[3-phen> I-S-oxoisoxazol-4-yl]pentamethineoxonol: Eu( fod)i-d:T, tris( heptofluorodimethyloctanedion~~to)-il27-europium; T1.C. thin-layer chromatography: ir. infrared: uv, ultraviolet; SMP. submitochondrial particles: EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; NADH, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; PHM, pigeon heart mitochondria: Mopes. 3-(,l'-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid.