An improved method for the synthesis of F-BODIPYs from dipyrrins and bis(dipyrrin)s.

An improved methodology for the synthesis of F-BODIPYs from dipyrrins and bis(dipyrrin)s is reported. This strategy employs lithium salts of dipyrrins as intermediates that are then treated with only 1 equiv of boron trifluoride diethyletherate to obtain the corresponding F-BODIPYs. This scalable route to F-BODIPYs renders high yields with a facile purification process involving merely filtration of the reaction mixture through Celite in many cases.