Novel water-soluble photosensitizers from dextrans

Novel water-soluble polymeric photosensitizers based on the natural polymer dextran were synthesized and studied. The modified dextran contained photoactive anthracene (An) chromophores. They were soluble in water with the solubility decreasing with an increase in the number of An moieties bound to the polymeric chain. In aqueous solutions, the macromolecules adopted a compact conformation which resulted in the formation of hydrophobic microdomains. The properties of these domains were characterized with molecular probes such as perylene and pyrazolo-quinoline derivative. The polymer absorbed in the UV/vis region and photosensitized reactions mediated by energy and/or electron transfer from electronically excited An to the molecules of organic compounds solubilized in polymeric microdomains or resided in water.