Interaction of fluorescently substituted metallacarboranes with cyclodextrins and phospholipid bilayers: fluorescence and light scattering study.

We prepared two fluorescein-3-cobalt(III) bis(1,2-dicarbollide) conjugates. They are sparingly soluble in water and form large aggregates in aqueous solutions. An extensive study on their spectral and aggregation behavior was carried out. To prepare their well-defined dispersion in aqueous systems, we studied the interaction of both probes with two biocompatible amphiphilic systems, cyclodextrins, which are frequently used in drug-delivery systems, and phospholipid membranes, which are the major constituents of cell barriers in living organisms. The presence of fluorescein in both conjugates allows us to study their behavior in detail by steady-state and time-resolved fluorometry, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and fluorescence lifetime imaging. The self-assembly of these metallacarboranes in aqueous solutions was studied by dynamic light scattering. The study shows that the compounds interact with cyclodextrins that increases their solubility in water, and they solubilize easily in phospholipid bilayers.