A novel precursor for color and fluorescence imaging

Abstract

The t-Boc-protected precursor (2) has been prepared and utilized for clean conversion back to quinizarin (1) by a photochemical process in the presence of a photoacid generator (PAG). The significantly different electronic properties between the two compounds induced by intramolecular hydrogen bonding in quinizarin allow the precursor (2) to be useful as color or fluorescent imaging materials when blended in polymer films.