Betalains and Pseudo-Natural Analogs: Structure-Property Relationships Aiming Applications

• Grant number: 24/23704-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Erick Leite Bastos
• Grantee: Francisco Gobbi Barbosa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Betalains are natural pigments responsible for the vivid yellow/magenta coloration and the occurrence of fluorescence in the flowers of succulent plants of the Caryophyllales order. Despite being less researched than other classes of plant pigments, they have potential for application as safe colorants for food and solar cells, antioxidants and genetically-encodable fluorophores. This project proposes the construction of a library of betalains and semi-synthetic analogs with potential application as spin traps and fluorescent probes for cryomicroscopy. Structure-property relationships will be established with a view to developing new biocompatible compounds with potential applications.