Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 3, 2025
Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy for Mouse Models of Pleural Dissemination
Published on: February 9, 2021
Near-infrared-emitting AIE multinuclear cationic Ir(III) complex-assembled nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy
Lijuan Li1, Liping Zhang1, Xiaofan Tong1
1Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, P. R. China. zhudx047@nenu.edu.cn zmsu@nenu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Near-infrared (NIR) emission and impressive singlet oxygen (1O2) generation ability are highly desirable but remain difficult to realize as aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers (PSs). Herein, mono- and tri-nuclear NIR AIE cationic Ir(iii) complexes and their corresponding self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) without any surfactants or adjuvants were designed and synthesized by integrating rigid 1,3,5-triphenyl benzene as an extended π-conjugation bridge. The pure NPs exhibit multiple merits of stronger NIR emission, higher 1O2 production capacity, better water solubility and negligible dark toxicity compared with the Ir(iii) complexes. Notably, the AIE PS3 NPs possess bright NIR emission at 730 nm, suitable spherical sizes below 100 nm, favorable cellular uptake and superior phototoxicity (IC50 = 1.4 × 10-6 M). These are the first pure NIR-emitting multinuclear Ir(iii) complex NPs obtained by self-assembly that exhibit excellent cell imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) performance.
