Conjugates of low-symmetry Ge, Sn and Ti carboxy phthalocyanines with glutathione caped gold nanoparticles: An investigation of photophysical behaviour

This work reports on conjugation of low symmetry Ge (GeMCPc), Ti (TiMCPc) and Sn (SnMCPc) carboxy phthalocyanines with glutathione capped gold nanoparticles (GSH-AuNPs). The photophysical behaviour of the novel phthalocyanines–GSH-AuNPs conjugate was investigated and compared to the monocarboxy Pcs and to the mixture of Pc with GSH-AuNPs without a chemical bond. Blue shifting of Q band of the phthalocyanines was observed on linking to GSH-AuNPs. An improvement in triplet lifetimes was obtained for all the MPcs–GSH-AuNPs-linked conjugates compared to the MPcs alone. The highest triplet quantum yield of 0.75 and the longest triplet lifetime of 130 μs were obtained for the GeMCPc–GSH-AuNPs-linked conjugate. Fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes were low for the conjugates due to quenching by the nanoparticles.

► Phthalocyanine are conjugated to gold nanoparticles. ► Blue shifting of the spectra is observed following conjugation. ► Triplet yields and lifetimes increase on conjugation. ► Fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes decrease on conjugation.