The design, synthesis and bioimaging of main group elements substituted near-infrared fluorescent rhodamine dyes and probes

Near Infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is significant in bioimaging with many favorable characteristics, including high signal/noise ratio, deep penetration and low photo-toxicity.The main group elements substituted rhodamine dyes have attracted large attention not only due to the NIR characteristics, but also many inherited outstanding merits of rhodamine dyes.Among the developed rhodamine dyes, the dyes whose bridging oxygen are substituted by silicon have attracted most interests and been widely used in the fluorescence bioimaging.The development of NIR main group elements substituted rhodamine dyes has enriched the species and quantity of the fluorescent probes and enlarged their application.Herein we reviewed the design, development and application of main group substituted rhodamine in recent years.