Synthesis and fluorescence properties of aminocyanopyrrole and aminocyanothiophene esthers for biomedical and bioimaging applications

We prepared a series of substituted aminocyanopyrroles and another of aminocynaothiophenes. We describe an efficient new one-step synthetic strategy via the condensation of an alkyl sarcosinate and ethoxymethylenemalononitrile, through a Gewald-like reaction. The UV–visible absorption and steady-state and time resolved fluorescence properties of some representative compounds, as well as their acid-base behavior, is also presented. The compounds might be useful for medicinal applications and as bioimaging probes.