Synthesis, photophysical properties, bioimaging potential and in vitro toxicity studies of naphthalimide imidazole boron complexes

Tetra-coordinated boron-based luminescent materials have gained widespread interest due to their potential applications, especially in medical diagnostics. Here, we report the synthesis of 1,8-naphthalimide based N,O-chelated tetra-coordinated boron complexes. All boron complexes showed deep blue emission in the solution as well as in the solid state. In vitro studies showed the non-cytotoxic effect of the BF2-complex on normal HEK293 cells but yielded a significant anti-proliferative activity against cancerous C6 glioma cells. Furthermore, cellular uptake studies revealed an accumulation of the BF2-complex inside the cells, thereby indicating its potential as a live cell tracker.