Photodynamic activity of porphyrin derivatives: synthesis and applications

Tetrapyrrolic macrocycles (e.g., porphyrins, chlorins, etc.) are a ubiquitous class of compounds in nature with unique physicochemical properties and an established role in crucial biological functions such as respiration, electron transfer and photosynthesis [1]. The adequate functionalization of these natural or synthetic macrocycles at different positions (meso and/or beta-pyrrolic positions) or their immobilization on different supports are responsible for their successful applications in several fields [2]. In particular, some of these derivatives have shown remarkable properties and significant potential to be used as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy against tumoral cells, microbial cells in planktonic and biofilms forms, viruses and parasites [3–5]. This success takes advantage among others of their high molar extinction coefficients in the visible region and good quantum yields of singlet oxygen production (1O2). In this communication, an overview of some of the recent synthetic advances obtained in our group to obtain immobilized and non-immobilized meso-arylporphyrins derivatives and applications related with their photodynamic efficiency under different contexts will be addressed and discussed [6–15].