Optical properties, bioimaging and theoretical calculation of a Zn(II) complex based on triphenylamine derivative

Abstract

A luminescent material with various optical properties based on a triphenylamine Zn(II) complex is described. The ultraviolet-visible absorption, one-photon excited fluorescence (OPEF) and two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) of the complex indicate that the material has good OPEF and TPEF properties. And the results of one- and two-photon HepG2 cells imaging experiments show the potential of the complex in fluorescence microscopy bioimaging. The experimental Stokes shift and the FWHM (full-width at half-maximum) in different solvents were correlated with the rMPI polarity of the solvent, and the perfect Boltzmann curves were obtained, where the Boltzmann correlation between Stokes shift and solvent polarity is reported for the second time. But the Boltzmann correlation between FWHM and solvent polarity is reported for the first time. In addition, the computational results indicate that, the covalent bond within the salt ZnBr₂ is strengthened by the coordination, and the newly formed coordination bond Zn-N is stronger than the original covalent bond Zn-Br.

Keywords: Bioimaging; Boltzmann curves; One-photon excited fluorescence; Stokes shift; Two-photon excited fluorescence; Zn(II) complex.