Unique photophysical properties of 9-styryl-1,2-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-β]indolizin-3-one and its efficient synthesis via direct C-H activation

A styryl Seoul-Fluor (SF) skeleton was rationally designed by introducing an olefin unit at the C-9 of 1,2-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-β]indolizin-3-one via regioselective direct C-H activation. We synthesized a series of styryl SF analogues, maintaining unique photophysical properties that can be systematically controlled by the electronic characteristics of the substituents, with an average bathochromic shift of 39 nm in emission maxima.