Fluorescent molecule breaks size record for green-emitting dyes
Study identifies 14-atom fluorophore with range of potential biological applications
3-Hydroxyisonicotinealdehyde (HINA) has broken the record for being the smallest green-emitting dye. Researchers in France and Germany showed they could react the dye with a platinum complex and used it to quantitatively detect cysteine, a prominent disease biomarker. Alongside such practical applications, the team hopes the molecule’s complex photophysical behaviour will spark theoretical interest amongst electron dynamics researchers.