Thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters: a thionation approach toward next-generation photosensitizers

Achieving highly efficient intersystem crossing (ISC) remains a key focus in the design of heavy atom-free photosensitizers (PSs) for various photophysical and photochemical applications. Herein, we report a general and robust molecular design strategy for obtaining photoactivatable heavy atom-free PSs by performing a simple sulfur substitution of carbonyl oxygen atoms of a thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter. This thionation led to a significant fluorescence loss, resulting in an increased ISC transformation. Upon white-light irradiation, the sulfur-substituted TADF compound (S-AIOH-Cz) exhibited a long-lived fluorescence turn-on response, a long-lasting triplet state lifetime and a superior reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation ability, which is desirable for time-resolved fluorescence imaging and photodynamic disinfection against antimicrobial resistance.