An Efficient Near‐Infrared Emissive Artificial Supramolecular Light‐Harvesting System for Imaging in the Golgi Apparatus
Xu‐Man Chen, Qin Cao, Hari Krishna Bisoyi, Meng Wang, Hong Yang, Quan Li
Abstract
Abstract Light‐harvesting systems are an important way for capturing, transferring and utilizing light energy. It remains a key challenge to develop highly efficient artificial light‐harvesting systems. Herein, we report a supramolecular co‐assembly based on lower‐rim dodecyl‐modified sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SC4AD) and naphthyl‐1,8‐diphenyl pyridinium derivative (NPS) as a light‐harvesting platform. NPS as a donor shows significant aggregation induced emission enhancement (AIEE) after assembling with SC4AD. Upon introduction of Nile blue (NiB) as an acceptor into the NPS‐SC4AD co‐assembly, the light‐harvesting system becomes near‐infrared (NIR) emissive (675 nm). Importantly, the NIR emitting NPS‐SC4AD‐NiB system exhibits an ultrahigh antenna effect (33.1) at a high donor/acceptor ratio (250:1). By co‐staining PC‐3 cells with a Golgi staining reagent, NBD C 6 ‐ceramide, NIR imaging in the Golgi apparatus has been demonstrated using these NIR emissive nanoparticles.