New pi-extended water-soluble squaraines as singlet oxygen generators.
[graph: see text] Condensation of squaric acid with a number of differently substituted 2-pyrrolyl derivatives afforded three new classes of squaraines. Their sharp and intense absorption bands in the biological window (700-900 nm), inherent singlet oxygen generation capabilities, together with proper functionalization allowing good water solubility make them suitable candidates as new non-porphyrinic singlet oxygen photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT).
Beverina
Luca
L
Department of Materials Science and INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cozzi 53, I-20125 Milano, Italy.
Abbotto
Alessandro
A
Landenna
Mirko
M
Cerminara
Michele
M
Tubino
Riccardo
R
Meinardi
Francesco
F
Bradamante
Silvia
S
Pagani
Giorgio A
GA