A series of novel iodinated NO2 -substituted aza-BODIPYs have been synthesized and characterized. Highly desirable photophysical and photochemical properties were induced in NO2 -substituted aza-BODIPYs by iodination of the pyrrole rings. In particular, high values of singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ ) ranging from 0.79 to 0.85 were measured. The photooxygenation process proceeds via a Type II mechanism under the experimental conditions applied. The compounds studied exhibited an absorption band within the so-called "therapeutic window", with λmax located between 645 nm to 672 nm. They were non-fluorescent at room temperature with excited singlet-state lifetimes within the picosecond range as measured by femtosecond transient absorption. Nanosecond laser flash photolysis experiments revealed T1 →Tn absorption spanning from ca. 400 nm to ca. 500 nm and allowed determination of the triplet-state lifetimes. The estimated triplet lifetimes (τT ) in deaerated acetonitrile ranged between 2.74 μs and 3.50 μs. As estimated by CV/DPV measurements, all iodinated aza-BODIPYs studied exhibited one irreversible oxidation and two quasi-reversible reductions processes. Estimation of the EHOMO gave the value of -6.06 to -6.26 eV while the ELUMO was found to be located at ca. -4.6 eV. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis revealed that iodinated aza-BODIPYs were stable up to approximately 300 °C. All compounds studied exhibit high photostability in toluene solution.
Keywords: aza-BODIPY; excited-triplet state; near-IR absorption; photosensitizers; singlet oxygen.
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