Thymidyl-Terpyridine Binuclear Iridium Complex

Two-photon ROS generation

Generates singlet oxygen and superoxide anion under NIR femtosecond laser excitation and binds to the DNA major groove, synergistically inducing tumor cell death.

Qianshui, Yu · Cong, Qi · Gu, Shunxin · Yang, Xinda · Jiang, Qin · Rongbin, Wei · Pengfei, Shi

Acta Chimica Sinica 2025

Specifications

Two-photon absorption cross-section

{'zh': '24', 'en': '24'} GM

Phototoxicity index

{'zh': '18', 'en': '18'}

Fluorescence quantum yield

{'zh': '<1', 'en': '<1'} %

Excited state lifetime

{'zh': '100', 'en': '100'} ns

Advantages

Two-photon ROS generation

Under near-infrared femtosecond laser excitation, the complex generates singlet oxygen and superoxide anion, which is promising for deep-tissue photodynamic therapy.

DNA binding

The complex intercalates into the DNA major groove and forms hydrogen bonds with bases DA-17 and DC-9, potentially disrupting DNA function.

Applications

• Photodynamic therapy：Uses its photosensitivity to generate reactive oxygen species to kill tumor cells.
• Two-photon photosensitizer：Near-infrared two-photon excitation is suitable for deep-tissue therapy.
• ROS detection：Generates singlet oxygen and superoxide anion for detection.
• DNA-targeting drugs：Binds to the DNA major groove to interfere with DNA function.