Microwave-assisted synthesis and elaboration of fluorescein and rhodamine derivatives

ORGN 111

Juan C. Castro, Guan-Sheng Jiao, Jin Wook Han, and Kevin Burgess. Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, TX 77842-3012
Classical syntheses of fluorescein and rhodamine dyes require elevated temperatures, extended reaction times, and strong acids. We report microwave radiation facilitates these reactions. These studies gave a procedure to obtain regioisomerically pure rosamine dyes (rhodamines without the 3-carboxy group) that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. Further studies on microwave-assisted transformations focused on elaboration of these compounds via standard organometallic reactions. This has enable us to expand on the use of "through-bond energy transfer systems" as biological markers.