Supramolecular capture of highly polar amidosquaraine dye in water with nanomolar affinity and large turn-on fluorescence.

A supramolecular dye-capture system comprising anionic amidosquaraine guest and macrocyclic tetralactam host exhibits nanomolar affinity and "turn on" visible fluorescence. Utility is demonstrated with a new fluorescent assay for liposome leakage induced by the biomedically important enzyme phospholipase A.

Time-lapse imaging of cell death in cell culture and whole living organisms using turn-on deep-red fluorescent probes.

Cell death is a central process in developmental biology and also an important indicator of disease status and treatment efficacy. Two related fluorescent probes are described that are molecular conjugates of one or two zinc dipicolylamine (ZnDPA) coordination complexes with an appended solvatochromic benzothiazolium squaraine dye. The probes were designed to target the anionic phospholipid, phosphatidylserine (PS), that is exposed on the surface of dead and dying cells.

Synthesis and Structure of 3,3-Dimethylindoline Squaraine Rotaxanes.

Squaraine rotaxanes are mechanically interlocked molecules comprised of a dumbbell shaped squaraine dye inside a tetralactam macrocycle. Previous squaraine rotaxanes have employed planar squaraine dyes with 4-aminophenyl, 2-aminothiophene, or N-amino units appended to the central CO core. Here we describe two rotaxanes that encapsulate a 3,3-dimethylindoline squaraine inside a tetralactam with anthracene sidewalls.