Ewha Womans University · Chemistry
Professor Jean Bouffard's research lab specializes in the design and synthesis of novel fluorescent probes and functional organic molecules for bioimaging and sensing applications. The lab focuses on developing turn-on probes for biologically relevant species such as thiols and reactive oxygen species (ROS), leveraging unique photophysical properties like excimer formation and ratiometric fluorescence. A key direction involves engineering stable, electron-donating ligands—particularly N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boranes and mesoionic carbenes—for use in transition metal catalysis and sensing. The group also investigates structure-property relationships in emissive dyes, including BODIPY derivatives and pyrene analogs, to enable advanced optical imaging in the visible to far-red region with high sensitivity and low photodamage.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Recent advances in transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization have profoundly impacted synthetic strategy. Since organic substrates typically contain several chemically distinct C-H bonds, controlling the regioselectivity of C-H bond functionalization is imperative to harness its full potential. Moreover, the ability to alter reaction pathways to selectively functionalize different C-H bonds in a substrate represents a greater opportunity and challenge. The choice of catalysts, ligand
A new fluorescent turn-on probe (3) for the selective sensing and bioimaging of thiols is reported. In aqueous buffer solutions at physiological pH, thiols cleave the 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl group to release the red-emissive donor-acceptor fluorophore (4). The probe displays excellent immunity to interference from nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles and the imaging of thiols in living cells is demonstrated.
The formal cycloaddition between 1,3-diaza-2-azoniaallene salts and alkynes or alkyne equivalents provides an efficient synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-1H-1,2,3-triazolium salts, the direct precursors of 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidenes. These N,N-diarylated mesoionic carbenes (MICs) exhibit enhanced stability in comparison to their alkylated counterparts. Experimental and computational results confirm that these MICs act as strongly electron-donating ligands. Their increased stability allows for the preparatio
N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boranes undergo oxidative hydrolysis to give imidazolium salts with excellent kinetic selectivity for HOCl over other reactive oxygen species (ROS), including peroxides and peroxynitrite. Selectivity for HOCl results from the electrophilic oxidation mechanism of NHC boranes, which stands in contrast to the nucleophilic oxidation mechanism of arylboronic acids with ROS. The change in polarity that accompanies the conversion of NHC boranes to imidazolium salts can cont
A family of organic chromophores that, like pyrene, forms emissive excimers is reported. Their chemical and photophysical properties are superior to pyrene for the design of chemo- and biosensors. Unlike hydrophobic pyrene, which requires excitation by cell-damaging UV irradiation, these polar dyes absorb strongly in the visible range, and their excimers emit brightly in the red to far-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The intensity of the emission signal is greatly increased upon form
4,4-Difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) derivatives bearing varied substituents at the meso position (i.e., CF3 , CH3 , COOR, CHO, CN, Cl, iPr) were synthesized to elucidate the structure-property relationships that give rise to emissive J-aggregates. Several new BODIPY derivatives can be added to the previously reported 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-trifluoromethyl derivative to the list of those forming J-aggregates, in addition to other dyes that are emissive in the solid state without fo
Heterocyclic monomers based on 2,1,3-benzooxadiazole and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole bearing solubilizing side chains have been synthesized in high yields over three steps from readily available starting materials. The monomers are efficiently cross-coupled with diynes and bis(boronates) to afford high molecular weight luminescent poly(arylene ethynylene)s and polyfluorenes that exhibit red-shifted absorption and emission maxima, greater solubility, and reduced aggregation.
Fluorescence-based amine-reactive dyes are highly valuable for the sensing of amines and the labeling of biomolecules. Although it would be highly desirable, large changes in emission spectra and intensity seldom accompany the conjugation of known amine-reactive dyes to their target molecules. On the contrary, amide bond formation between amines and the pentafluorophenyl (<b>2-PFP</b>) and succinimidyl (<b>2-NHS</b>) esters of <i>meso</i>-carboxyBODIPY results in significant changes in emission
The naphthoimidazolium borane 4 is shown to be a selective probe for HOCl over other reactive oxygen species. Unlike other boronate-reactive oxygen species (ROS) fluorogenic probes that are oxidized by HOCl through a nucleophilic borono-Dakin oxidation mechanism, probe 4 is distinguished by its electrophilic oxidation mechanism involving B-H bond cleavage. Two-photon microscopy experiments in living cells and tissues with the probe 4 demonstrate the monitoring of endogenous HOCl generation and c
The design and implementation of tandem reactions provides organic chemists with numerous challenges, in particular that of undesired cross-reactivity between substrates. Among organometallics, the use of organozinc reagents in tandem reactions provides several advantages as a result of their broad functional group tolerance and compatibility with transition metals. This review highlights prominent examples of recent advances in tandem reactions with organozinc reagents that illustrate their pot
A Ni(cod)2/IPr catalyst promotes the intermolecular 1,2-addition of arylboronate esters to unactivated aldehydes and ketones. Diaryl, alkyl aryl, and dialkyl ketones show good reactivity under mild reaction conditions (≤80 °C, nonpolar solvents, no strong base or acid additives). A dramatic ligand effect favors either carbonyl addition (IPr) or C−OR cross-coupling (PCy3) with aryl ether substrates. A Ni(0)/Ni(II) catalytic cycle initiated by the oxidative cyclization of the carbonyl substrate is
The synthesis of new heterocyclic oligo(phenylene) analogues based on soluble, nonaggregating 1,2-diazines is reported. Improved palladium-catalyzed reductive coupling methods were developed to allow for the preparation of large quantities of iptycene-derived bipyridazines and biphthalazines, and the controlled synthesis of well-defined oligomers up to sexipyridazine. Crystallographic, spectroscopic, and computational evidence indicate that in these analogues, hindrance at the ortho position is
Abstract A family of organic chromophores that, like pyrene, forms emissive excimers is reported. Their chemical and photophysical properties are superior to pyrene for the design of chemo‐ and biosensors. Unlike hydrophobic pyrene, which requires excitation by cell‐damaging UV irradiation, these polar dyes absorb strongly in the visible range, and their excimers emit brightly in the red to far‐red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The intensity of the emission signal is greatly increased
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