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Review
. 2022 Oct 6;27(19):6631.
doi: 10.3390/molecules27196631.

Fluorescent and Phosphorescent Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles and Crown Ethers: Biological and Pharmaceutical Applications

Faiz Ullah  1 , Sami Ullah  2 , Muhammad Farhan Ali Khan  3 , Muhammad Mustaqeem  4 , Rizwan Nasir Paracha  5 , Muhammad Fayyaz Ur Rehman  4 , Fariha Kanwal  6 , Syed Shams Ul Hassan  7   8 , Simona Bungau  9
Affiliations
Review

Fluorescent and Phosphorescent Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles and Crown Ethers: Biological and Pharmaceutical Applications

Faiz Ullah et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Fluorescent molecules absorb photons of specific wavelengths and emit a longer wavelength photon within nanoseconds. Recently, fluorescent materials have been widely used in the life and material sciences. Fluorescently labelled heterocyclic compounds are useful in bioanalytical applications, including in vivo imaging, high throughput screening, diagnostics, and light-emitting diodes. These compounds have various therapeutic properties, including antifungal, antitumor, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. Different neutral fluorescent markers containing nitrogen heterocycles (quinolones, azafluoranthenes, pyrazoloquinolines, etc.) have several electrochemical, biological, and nonlinear optic applications. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which destroys tumors and keeps normal tissues safe, works in the presence of molecular oxygen with light and a photosensitizing drugs (dye) to obtain a therapeutic effect. These compounds can potentially be effective templates for producing devices used in biological research. Blending crown compounds with fluorescent residues to create sensors has been frequently investigated. Florescent heterocyclic compounds (crown ether) increase metal solubility in non-aqueous fluids, broadening the application window. Fluorescent supramolecular polymers have widespread use in fluorescent materials, fluorescence probing, data storage, bio-imaging, drug administration, reproduction, biocatalysis, and cancer treatment. The employment of fluorophores, including organic chromophores and crown ethers, which have high selectivity, sensitivity, and stability constants, opens up new avenues for research. Fluorescent organic compounds are gaining importance in the biological world daily because of their diverse functionality with remarkable structural features and positive properties in the fields of medicine, photochemistry, and spectroscopy.

Keywords: anti-microbial; antifungal; antitumor; fluorescence; heterocyclic compounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structures of azo dye compounds (1a–1d) showing anti-mycobacterial activity.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structures of compounds (2a–2c) having antioxidant activities.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Compounds (3 and 4) with anti-hypertensive and antibacterial activities.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Structures of metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbene compounds (5–7).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structure of carprofen with anti-inflammatory activities.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Structures of compounds (8a–8e and 9a–9e) showing anti-microbial activity.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Structures of compounds (10a–b and 11a–c).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Structure of compounds (12a–f).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Structures of compounds (13a–b).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Structures of compounds (14a–14e) showing photochemical activity.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Structures of dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DC) and 1,8-naphtho-21-crown-6 ether (15a–15b).
Figure 12
Figure 12
Structures of benzothiazole crown ethers (16a–16c).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Structures of 14-crown-4 derivatives 17(a–c).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Bis (1-allyl-3-butyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-yl) silver complex.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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