Two- and three-photon excitable quaternized imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines as mitochondrial imaging and potent cancer therapy agents

We have synthesized a series of quaternized imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines in three steps from commercially available reagents. These compounds exhibit blue fluorescence emission at around 425 nm with good quantum yields. In addition, one specific compound was found to work as not only a two- and three-photon excitable mitochondria imaging agent, but also a therapeutic agent upon continuous irradiation conditions.