Design, synthesis and characterization of fluorescent hyperbranched polyglycerols and organic nanoparticles with covalently bound anti-fading agents

The photobleaching of fluorophores is a major limitation in fluorescence microscopy. We sought to create a brighter and more stable fluorophore by covalently attaching fluorescein and anti-fading agent (AFA) moieties to hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPG). The use of HPGs as a scaffold to link fluorescein and anti-fading agents proved intractable, so a norbornyl based ROMP polymer was used instead. Through the iterative use of ROMP and RCM, organic nanoparticles (ONPs) were synthesized incorporating multiple fluorescein and AFA units. The ONPs were brighter and more photostable than fluorescein. The photostability of the ONPs without AFAs was found to loosely correlate to its brightness. Incorporation of AFAs in the ONPs led to increased stability in some cases.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Vincil, Gretchen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zimmerman, Steven C.
• Hull, Kami L.
• Mitchell, Douglas A.
• Murphy, Catherine J.

• photobleaching
• photostability
• fluorescein
• anti-fading agents
• hyper-branched polymers

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2014 Gretchen Vincil

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/72771

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/72771