2,6,8-Trisubstituted 3-hydroxychromone derivatives as fluorophores for live-cell imaging.

We present the synthesis and photophysical characterisation of a series of structurally diverse, fluorescent 2,6,8-trisubstituted 3-hydroxychromone derivatives with high fluorescence quantum yields and molar extinction coefficients. Two of these derivatives (9 and 10a) have been studied as fluorophores for cellular imaging in HeLa cells and show excellent permeability and promising fluorescence properties in a cellular environment. In addition, we have demonstrated by photophysical characterisation of 3-isobutyroxychromone derivatives that esterification of the 3-hydroxyl group results in acceptable and useful fluorescence properties.