Merging of a Supramolecular Ligand with a Switchable Luminophore – Light‐Responsiveness, Photophysics and Bioimaging

Abstract

: In this contribution we report on a novel approach towards luminescent light‐responsive ligands. To this end, cyanostilbene‐ guanidiniocarbonyl‐pyrrole hybrids were designed and investigated. Merging of a luminophore with a supramolecular bioactive ligand bears numerous advantages by overcoming the typical drawbacks of drug‐labelling, influencing the overall performance of the active species by attachment of a large luminophore. Here we were able to establish a simple and easily accessible synthesis route to different cyanostyryl‐guanidininiocarbonyl‐pyrrole (CGCP) derivatives. These compounds were investigated regarding their light‐responsive double bond isomerisation, their molecular structures in single crystals by means of X‐ray diffractometry, their emission properties by state of the art photophysical characterisation as well as bioimaging and assessment of cell toxicity.