Macrocycles of pyclen picolinate bifunctional type as mono and bi photonic biological optical probes

Existing lanthanide ligands and chelates have limitations that impede their use in in vitro or in vivo photoluminescence imaging studies. Some of the existing complexes may, for example, have insufficient complexation strength, limited luminosity, and/or may not be easily functionalized. Therefore, there is a need for ligands with enhanced complexation properties, improved brightness, and/or that can easily be functionalized.

The technology developed by the researchers concerns pyclene-based macrocyclic ligands that efficiently chelament lanthanide cations and can be used in imaging, preferably by luminescence under excitation of one or two photons. This technology can be used in vivo or in vitro medical imaging, molecular imaging, cellular imaging and/or bioimmunological imaging. The use of metal complexes in bio-imaging applications has attracted considerable attention due to their unique advantages, such as high luminescence, good photostability, large Stokes shifts, low toxicity, and good biocompatibility.