Synthesis, characterization and sol-gel entrapment of a crown ether-styryl fluoroionophore.

The synthesis and initial evaluation of a new dye-functionalized crown-ether, 2-[2-(2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydro-1,4,7,10,13,16-benzohexaoxacyclooctadecin)ethenyl]-3-methyl benzothiazolium iodide (denoted BSD), are reported. This molecule contains a benzyl 18-crown-6 moiety as the ionophore and a benzothiazolium to spectrally transduce ion binding. Binding of K(+) to BSD in methanol causes shifts in the both absorbance and fluorescence emission maxima, as well as changes in the molar absorptivity and the emission intensity.

Preparation and characterization of poly(lipid)-coated, fluorophore-doped silica nanoparticles for biolabeling and cellular imaging.

The fabrication, characterization, and implementation of poly(lipid)-coated, highly luminescent silica nanoparticles as fluorescent probes for labeling of cultured cells are described. The core of the probe is a sol-gel-derived silica nanoparticle, 65-100 nm in diameter, in which up to several thousand dye molecules are encapsulated (Lian, W.; et al.