Synthesis and Photophysics of BF2-Rigidified Partially Closed Chain Bromotetrapyrroles: Near Infrared Emitters and Photosensitizers

We report the synthesis, crystallographic, optical, and triplet and singlet oxygen generation properties of a series of BF2 -rigidified partially closed chain bromotetrapyrroles as near infrared emitters and photosensitizers. These novel dyes were efficiently synthesized from a nucleophilic substitution reaction between pyrroles and the 3,5-bromo-substituents on the tetra- and hexabromoBODIPYs and absorb in the near-infrared region (681-754 nm) with high molar extinction coefficients. Their fluorescent emission (708-818 nm) and singlet oxygen generation properties are significantly affected by alkyl substitutions on the two uncoordinated pyrrole units of these dyes and the polarity of solvents. Among them, dyes 4 ca and 4 da show good singlet oxygen generation efficiency and good NIR fluorescence emission (fluorescence quantum yields of 0.14-0.43 in different solvents studied).