Synthesis of quinoline derivatives for fluorescent imaging certain bacteria.

Highly fluorescent quinoline derivatives were synthesized using Sc(OTf)(3) catalyzed imino Diels-Alder reaction. Both the aromatic and their analogous tetradehydroquinoline derivatives were explored for the detection of bacteria using fluorescent imaging studies. Surprisingly the aromatic quinoline derivatives show a remarkable fluorescent response that can be useful in the detection of both gram positive and gram negative bacteria even at a concentration in the range of 0.078 mM.