{
  "abstract": "NIR‐II fluorescent probes are powerful tools for advanced imaging, with performance governed by molar extinction coefficient (ε), quantum yield (Φ), and brightness (ε × Φ). However, achieving high brightness remains a major challenge. Here we report SCU‐OX‐Hex, a D–A–D probe with an O‐xanthene acceptor and an N‐alkylated aniline donor. Elongating the N‐alkyl chain enhances Φ and brightness while suppressing aggregation‐caused quenching. SCU‐OX‐Hex exhibits ε = 1.71 × 105 M−1 cm−1, Φ = 0.57%, and a brightness of 974.7 M−1 cm−1—among the highest reported for organic NIR‐II probes. In vivo, it enables high‐resolution imaging of the abdominal vasculature, the gastrointestinal tract, and tumor angiogenesis. In a lymph node metastasis model, it provides superior contrast and resolution compared with ICG, enabling precise intraoperative identification. This work establishes SCU‐OX‐Hex as a high‐performance NIR‐II agent and offers a broadly applicable design strategy for next‐generation probes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology Ministry of Education College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu China",
    "Department of Chemistry Sichuan Engineering Research Center of Molecular Targeted Diagnostic & Therapeutic Drugs Xihua University Chengdu China"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yu Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hong Zhang",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-4319-5488"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ruirui Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wenli Xia"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Zhouyu Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jie Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoqi Yu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1719-6137"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kun Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8788-1036"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e26q4ggqkvgzc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1002/smo2.70117",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13719896/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "e26q4ggqkvgzc",
  "issns": [
    "2751-4595",
    "2751-4587"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719896",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2505|Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224854830",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13719896/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13719896",
  "pmid": "42964259",
  "published": "2026-10-29",
  "publisher": "Wiley",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e26q4ggqkvgzc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:37Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13719896",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719896"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-02T12:23:46Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13719896",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/smo2.70117"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2505|Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Alkyl chain elongation engineering: Unlocking high‐brightness NIR‐II O‐xanthene dyes for in vivo bioimaging",
  "title_text": "Alkyl chain elongation engineering: Unlocking high‐brightness NIR‐II O‐xanthene dyes for in vivo bioimaging",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:20:52Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e26q4ggqkvgzc",
  "venue": "Smart molecules : open access",
  "versions": []
}