Molecular Design and Biomedical Application of AIEgens with Photochemical Activity

Photochemical reaction is expected to become a promising type of green chemistry with merits of operational flexibility, excellent regioselectivity, high yield, and mild reaction condition. Recently, aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based fluorescent molecules with photoresponsivity have been quickly developed and employed in the biomedical field. In this Review, photoresponsive AIE materials based on the inherent photochemical reactions are highlighted according to the photochemical pathways: photoisomerization, photocyclization, photodimerization, and multiple photoreactions. Following this, their biomedical applications are summarized and discussed, including photoactivatable bioimaging, diagnosis, and therapy. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives are presented.