Design and evaluation of Raman reporters for the Raman-silent region
Konstantinos Plakas, Lauren E. Rosch, Michael D. Clark, Shukree Adbul-Rashed, Travis M. Shaffer, Stefan Harmsen, Sanjiv S. Gambhir, Michael R. Detty
Abstract
Rationale: Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is proving to be a useful tool for biomedical imaging. However, this imaging technique can suffer from poor signal-to-noise ratio, as the complexity of biological tissues can lead to overlapping of Raman bands from tissues and the Raman reporter molecule utilized. Methods: Herein we describe the synthesis of triple bond containing Raman reporters that scatter light in the biological silent window, between 1750 cm -1 and 2750 cm -1 . Results: Our SERS nanoprobes are comprised of uniquely designed Raman reporters containing either alkyne-or cyano-functional groups, enabling them to be readily distinguished from background biological tissue.