Polyfluorinated bis-styrylbenzene β-amyloid plaque binding ligands

β-Amyloid (Aβ) binding affinities and specificities for six bis-styrylbenzenes with multiple magnetically equivalent fluorine atoms in the form of a tetrafluorophenyl core or symmetrical trifluoromethyl and trifluoromethoxy groups were determined by means of fluorescence titrations with amyloid peptide Aβ_1-40 and a novel in vitro fluorescence-based assay using APP/PS1 transgenic mouse brain sections. Bisstyrylbenzenes with a tetrafluorophenyl core had increased Aβ binding affinities compared to their monofluorophenyl or phenyl counterparts. Bis-styrylbenzenes with carboxylic acid functional groups had lower Aβ binding affinities than their neutral counterparts. Selected bis-styrylbenzenes were demonstrated to have good blood - brain barrier penetration capabilities. These data extend the SAR of bis-styrylbenzene Aβ binding and provide direction for the development of a noninvasive probe for early detection of Alzheimer's disease using ¹⁹F MRI.