Heterocyclic probes: design, synthesis and application in chemosensing and molecular bioimaging

Heterocyclic derivatives are a versatile class of compounds with a wide range of applications in diverse areas such as medicinal or materials chemistry due to their biological activity, as well their optoelectronic properties. Our earlier studies showed that the optical properties of π-conjugated heterocyclic systems could be tuned through functionalization of the heterocycles, changing its electronic nature or position on the heterocyclic system. This increases the potential for several ground-breaking applications of these molecules namely as sensitive and selective optical chemosensors and fluorescent bioimaging probes. Recent results from our research group concerning the design, synthesis and characterization of novel imidazole and thiophene derivatives 1-2, as optical chemosensors, NIR chromophores and/or molecular bioimaging probes will be presented and discussed.Thank are due to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal) and FEDER-COMPETE for financial support through Centro de Química (PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013 and PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2016) and a PhD grant to R.C.M. Ferreira (SFRH/BD/86408/2012). The NMR spectrometer Bruker Avance III 400 is part of the National NMR Network (PTNMR) and is partially supported by Infrastructure Project No 022161 (co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE 2020, POCI and PORL and FCT through PIDDAC)