Bright rRNA-Associated Merocyanine Probes Highlight Tumor Extensions in Ovarian Cancer.
We report a structure-activity relationship of merocyanine quinolinium dyes optimized as fluorogenic rRNA-associated probes. A series of analogs (11a-h) bearing electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs) or electron-donating groups (EDGs) on the phenolic "push" ring (ortho vs meta; mono vs disubstitution) was synthesized to ev...