Visible-Light-Excited Singlet-Oxygen Luminescence Probe Based on Re(CO)3Cl(aeip)

A new rhenium(I) complex, Re(CO)(3)Cl(aeip) [where aeip = 2-(anthracen-9-yl)-1-lethyl-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline], was designed and synthesized as a luminescence probe under visible light excitation at 410 nm for detection of singlet oxygen (O-1(2)) in aqueous media. The new complex can specifically react with O-1(2) in neutral and alkaline media, which results in remarkable luminescence enhancements, with 8- and 18.7-fold increases in the luminescence quantum yields, respectively. The visible light excitation may allow the complex to be useful for biosystems. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)