Photochemical Amplifier Based on Self-Immolative Dendritic Spacers

J Org Chem. 2019 Jun 21;84(12):7776-7785. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.9b00651. Epub 2019 Jun 11.

Abstract

A self-immolative dendritic structure was synthesized. It is based on phenol derivatives with three hydroxymethyl arms at both ortho and para positions of the core unit, potentially releasing up to 27 leaving groups in a third-generation dendrimer. The triggering event is the photolysis of a photosentive ortho-nitrobenzyl group. In doing so, we expected to transform a weak chemical or photochemical input into a large chemical output, which fulfills the definition of a molecular amplifier. Such dendrimers could find application as an indicator, a drug-delivery vector, or a solubilizing agent. The prepared dendrimer indeed released up to 27 leaving groups upon photolysis at 360 nm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't