Blue Luminescent Boron Complexes Based on N,N‐Type Imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine Ligand for Mitochondrial Imaging

Abstract

We have synthesized two boron complexes based on N,N‐type bidentate imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine ligands exhibiting blue emission with good quantum yields in solution. The transient absorption and theoretical studies of the complexes indicated the intramolecular charge transfer nature, leading to intersystem crossing from the singlet excited state to the triplet excited state. In addition, one specific complex, 1a was found to work as a mitochondrial imaging agent.