MODIFIED BODIPY PROBES TO EXPLORE PEROXISOME FUNCTION

Abstract

This research aims to use fluorescent BODIPY probes to measure biological function within a plant cell. In particular developing BODIPY fluors with emission at near-infrared and long wavelength that provides considerable benefit for specific organelle monitoring will be explored.

The work described in this thesis was mainly focused on the synthesis of the BODIPY and the photoaffinity labelling group. We present an effective synthesis of several BODIPY analogues with different meso-substituents. 3-Methoxy trifluoromethyl diazirine was successfully synthesised with the aim at coupling to the BODIPY dyes. However, although many borylation and bromination reactions on meta and para methoxy substituted trifluoromethyl diazirines, were attempted these were not successful. In an alternative approach, 4-benzoylphenylboronic acid was used as the pro-photoaffinity labelling residue. This could successfully be coupled with iodo-BODIPY for future use as cell-labelling fluorophore.