The first examples of Ru(ii) and Ir(iii) metalla-rectangles [1]4+–[4]4+ containing a BODIPY-based linker are reported; some of these compounds exhibited highly selective anticancer activity and interact strongly with DNA as well as protein. The characteristic green fluorescence of a BODIPY ligand and associated aggregation-induced emission (AIE) permitted visualization of compounds inside the cells using confocal microscopy.
27 October 2017 in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces