Recent developments in the synthesis of the BODIPY dyes

The BODIPYs are a very widely used class of fluorescent dyes, based around a heterocyclic organic framework, which have found applications across a broad range of research areas and real-world applications. Their popularity and utility derive from a winning combination of easily controllable photophysical properties and synthetic accessibility. Since their inception in 1968, considerable research has been directed toward the understanding, improvement, and development of flexible synthetic methodologies toward this privileged class of organic molecules. In this review we seek both to present an overview of commonly used synthetic methods and to highlight recent developments in the synthesis and modification of BODIPY dyes.