Synthesis and Type I/Type II photosensitizing properties of a novel amphiphilic zinc phthalocyanine

A novel amphiphilic zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPcLTs) has been synthesized, which possesses good amphiphilicity, and low aggregation. The generation efficiency of singlet oxygen and other active oxygen species' trapping rate studies were studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The results indicated that the photosensitizer possessed a higher active oxygen species generation efficiency than that of hematoporphyrin. The results of photodamage experiments towards calf-thymus DNA indicated that ZnPcLTs is a promising photosensitizer candidate for photodynamic therapy.