Two-photon luminescent metal complexes for bioimaging and cancer phototherapy

• An overview of two-photon luminescent metal complexes is provided.
• Design and advantages of two-photon luminescent metal complexes are summarized.
• Some applications for these metal complexes in bioimaging are presented.
• Some applications for these metal complexes in cancer phototherapy are presented.

Possessing important advantages over conventional one-photon excited emission such as great depth discrimination and reduced photo-damage, two-photon excited emission (TPE) materials has attracted increasing attention and been applied in various research areas. These applications have generated a demand for new two-photon dyes. In recent years, metal complexes with TPE property have been widely studied due to their attractive photophysical properties, especially for bioimaging and therapeutic agent applications. In this review, we first summarize the recent developments regarding metal complexes as two-photon dyes for cell organelles, cations, anions, gas molecules and biomolecules. The applications of two-photon therapeutic agents are also summarized.

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