Rhodamine derivatives, as a prominent class of fluorophores, have become indispensable in advanced material engineering and biomedical research due to their exceptional photostability and tunable optical characteristics. However, their practical implementation faces fundamental challenges: conventional proton‐mediated spirolactone ring opening mechanisms severely compromise fluorescence performance, while conventional structural optimization approaches remain synthetically demanding with limited efficacy. We hereby present a novel Lewis acid‐assisted activation strategy that enables reversible spirolactone ring opening in classical rhodamine systems. This innovative approach achieves remarkable fluorescence enhancement characterized by superior quantum yields (up to 95%) and prolonged excited state lifetimes. Notably, the Lewis acid coordination establishes precise photocontrol over the ring opening process. This breakthrough represents the first demonstration of a nondestructive activation pathway for rhodamine fluorophores, effectively converting the nonemissive spirolactone form into highly luminescent Lewis acid complexes while maintaining molecular integrity.
Sun et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: