A series of symmetric pentamethine cyanine dyes derived from various N-substituted benzothiazolium/benzoselenazolium salts, and a conjugated bis-aniline derivative containing a chlorine atom at meso-position with respect to the polymethine chain, were synthesized using a novel improved synthetic approach under mild conditions at room temperature. The reaction procedure was held by grinding the starting compounds for relative short times. The novel method is reliable and highly reproducible. Some photophysical characteristics were recorded in various solvents, including absorption, and fluorescence quantum yields using Cy-5 as a reference. Additional studies on interactions with several bio-objects such as liposomes, DNA, and proteins have been investigated in the present work.
Keywords: 2-methylbenzoselenazole; 2-methylbenzothiazole; DNA, proteins; Fluorescent markers; H-aggregates; Liposomes; Pentamethine cyanine dyes.