Fluorescence behavior and singlet oxygen generating abilities of aluminum phthalocyanine in the presence of anisotropic gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (spheres, rods and bipyramids) were synthesized. The nanocrystals were characterized by UV-visible spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The as prepared gold nanoparticles were then conjugated to a quaternized 2,(3)-tetra [2-(dimethylamino) ethanethio] substituted Al(OH) phthalocyanine (complex 1). The conjugation of phthalocyanines with gold nanoparticles resulted in a decrease in the fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes. Conversely, an increase in the singlet oxygen quantum yields was observed for the conjugated complex 1 in the presence of AuNPs.