Deferasirox (ExJade): An FDA-Approved AIEgen Platform with Unique Photophysical Properties
Adam C. Sedgwick, Kai‐Cheng Yan, Daniel N. Mangel, Ying Shang, Axel Steinbrueck, Hai‐Hao Han, James T. Brewster, Xi‐Le Hu, Dylan W. Snelson, Vincent M. Lynch, He Tian, Xiao‐Peng He, Jonathan L. Sessler
Abstract
Deferasirox, ExJade, is an FDA-approved iron chelator used for the treatment of iron overload. In this work, we report several fluorescent deferasirox derivatives that display unique photophysical properties, i.e., aggregation-induced emission (AIE), excited state intramolecular proton transfer, charge transfer, and through-bond and through-space conjugation characteristics in aqueous media. Functionalization of the phenol units on the deferasirox scaffold afforded the fluorescent responsive pro-chelator ExPhos, which enabled the detection of the disease-based biomarker alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The diagnostic potential of these deferasirox derivatives was supported by bacterial biofilm studies.