Issue 43, 2020

Near-infrared-emitting AIE multinuclear cationic Ir(iii) complex-assembled nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy

Abstract

Near-infrared (NIR) emission and impressive singlet oxygen (1O2) generation ability are highly desirable but remain difficult to realize as aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers (PSs). Herein, mono- and tri-nuclear NIR AIE cationic Ir(III) complexes and their corresponding self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) without any surfactants or adjuvants were designed and synthesized by integrating rigid 1,3,5-triphenyl benzene as an extended π-conjugation bridge. The pure NPs exhibit multiple merits of stronger NIR emission, higher 1O2 production capacity, better water solubility and negligible dark toxicity compared with the Ir(III) complexes. Notably, the AIE PS3 NPs possess bright NIR emission at 730 nm, suitable spherical sizes below 100 nm, favorable cellular uptake and superior phototoxicity (IC50 = 1.4 × 10−6 M). These are the first pure NIR-emitting multinuclear Ir(III) complex NPs obtained by self-assembly that exhibit excellent cell imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) performance.

Graphical abstract: Near-infrared-emitting AIE multinuclear cationic Ir(iii) complex-assembled nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Aug 2020
Accepted
15 Oct 2020
First published
15 Oct 2020

Dalton Trans., 2020,49, 15332-15338

Near-infrared-emitting AIE multinuclear cationic Ir(III) complex-assembled nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy

L. Li, L. Zhang, X. Tong, Y. Li, Z. Yang, D. Zhu, Z. Su and Z. Xie, Dalton Trans., 2020, 49, 15332 DOI: 10.1039/D0DT02962A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements