Exploring N-BODIPYs As Privileged Scaffolds to Build Off/On Fluorescent Sensors by PET

A new N-boron dipyrromethene (N-BODIPY) substituted with a crown ether moiety has been synthesized by reaction of an F-BODIPY with a crown-ether-substituted bis(sulfonamide). The workability of this N-BODIPY as an off/on sensor for cations by modulation of a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) is explored. The new N-BODIPY demonstrates the possibilities of functionalization of these still unexplored but promising dyes.