Diketopyrrolopyrrole Bis-Phosphonate Conjugate: A New Fluorescent Probe for In Vitro Bone Imaging

The synthesis of a conjugate molecule between an unusual red-fluorescent diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) unit and a bis-phosphonate (BP) precursor by a click-chemistry strategy to target bone tissue and monitor the interaction is reported. After thorough investigation, conjugation through a triazole unit between a gamma-azido rather than a beta-azido BP and an alkyne-functionalized DPP fluorophore group turned out to be the winning strategy. Visualization of the DPP-BP conjugate on osteoclasts and specific antiresorption activity were successfully demonstrated.