Abstract The synthesis of a new series of fluorescent transmembrane probes in which two hydrophilic methyl ester or carboxyl groups are connected by a polymethylene chain, with four, five or six conjugated double bonds in a central position, is reported. The length of the linear structures was designed to match the width of typical lipid bilayers. These bolaamphiphilic compounds result, with overall yields higher than 80%, from an easy Pd II ...
