Design, synthesis and investigation of water-soluble hemi-indigo photoswitches for bioapplications

• Daria V. Berdnikova

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2822–2829, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.275

• Daria V. Berdnikova Department Chemie–Biologie, Organische Chemie II, Universität Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2, 57076 Siegen, Germany 10.3762/bjoc.15.275 Abstract A series of hemi-indigo derivatives was synthesized and their photoswitching properties in aqueous medium were studied. The

• dimethoxy hemi-indigo derivative with the best photochromic performance in water was identified as a promising platform for the development of photoswitchable binders for biomolecules. The synthetic approach towards the introduction of the alkylamino pendant to the dimethoxy hemi-indigo core was developed

• that allowed to obtain an RNA-binding hemi-indigo derivative with photoswitchable fluorescent properties. Keywords: hemi-indigo; molecular switches; photochromism; photoswitching; visible light; water solubility; Introduction The application of organic photochromes in biological systems is fraught