Activated Type I and Type II Process for Two-Photon Promoted ROS Generation: The Coordinated Zn Matters

Inorg Chem. 2020 Sep 21;59(18):13671-13678. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c02030. Epub 2020 Aug 28.

Abstract

The construction of novel classes of photosensitizers for efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is of great interest, yet it is a challenge. In this work, a bis(terpyridine)zinc(II) complex (namely, ZnL1) with two-photon absorption activity as an efficient ROS photogenerator was synthesized. Benefiting from the coordinated Zn, the decreased singlet-triplet energy gap favors the intersystem crossing process facilitating the singlet oxygen (1O2) generation via energy transfer. In addition, it makes the superoxide radical (O2·-) generation easier. This is an extremely rare study on two-photon excited ROS generation by activating type I and type II processes based on a cheaper and bioaccessible Zn complex.

MeSH terms

  • Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Energy Transfer
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Photons
  • Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Zinc / chemistry*

Substances

  • Coordination Complexes
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Zinc
  • Oxygen