Potassium tert-butoxide promoted intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck-type radical cyclization: Photoluminescence properties and application in live cancer cell imaging

An efficient methodology for the synthesis of privileged indole fused phenanthridinone is achieved via inexpensive potassium tert-butoxide promoted intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck-type radical cyclization. This methodology offers high atom- and step-economic C-C bond formation. An array of synthesised compounds showing good photoluminescence property which can be successfully applied as a fluorescent bio-probe for live cancer cell imaging.