Photodynamic therapy of cancer (PDT) at early stages of various types of cancer is based on the use of the phototoxicity of photosensitizers (PS) which appeaes upon their excitation by light in tumor tissues. The review concentrates mainly on the data for the second and third generations of photosensitizers: the st.ructure of PS, their photophysical and photochemical properties, and some results of their in vitro and in vivo application. A carefully designed PS should exhibit the following properties: long-wave absorption, good singlet oxygen quantum yield, art intramolecular polarity axis, and low in vivo (photooxidation) stability. Uncharged PS that are lipophilic, positively charged, and capable of binding with monoclonal antibodies are discussed as an example.

No abstract

Several zinc(II) and aluminum(III) phthalocyanines substituted by carboxylic acid and sulfonic acid groups were anchored to nanocrystalline TiO 2 films. By irradiation with visible light the photovoltaic behavior of the electrodes containing LiI / LiI 3/propylene carbonate electrolyte was measured. Most efficient results were found using zinc(II) 2,9,16,23-tetracarboxyphthalocyanine, with a current conversion efficiency at 700 nm approaching 45%. It is shown that electron injection into TiO 2 occurs from the excited singlet state of the phthalocyanine derivatives. High stability of the cell performance under continuous irradiation was found.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that uses a combination of red laser light, a photosensitizing agent and molecular oxygen.

Films of organic polymers were prepared and investigated as insulating layers in contact with phthalocyanines as organic semiconductors for use in organic field effect transistors. The polymer films were obtained either by a high-vacuum technique based on the thermal decomposition of polymers and polymerization of the fragments on a substrate, by the spin-coating of polymer solutions or by the cross-linking of spin-coated precursors. Poly(vinylchloride), poly(vinylidenefluoride), poly(acrylonitrile), poly(methylmethacrylate), poly( N -vinylpyrrolidone), poly(styrene), poly(4-vinylpyridine), poly( N -vinylcarbazole) and a polyimide were used as polymers. The film growth was studied by mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy. Electrochemical measurements by cyclic voltammetry served to analyze the properties of the polymer films. The morphology was determined by atomic force microscopy. Interactions of the films with phthalocyaninatozinc ( PcZn ) was analyzed for co-evaporated PcZn in the polymer films, to probe the chemical compatibility of the methods. Subsequently, evaporated PcZn or hexadecafluorophthalocyaninato-oxo-vanadium ( F 16 PcVO ) thin films were studied in detail by UV-vis spectroscopy and by electrical measurements to investigate interface formation, intermolecular coupling and electrical conduction in such films. The applicability of the different polymers as dielectric layers in organic field effect transistors, with phthalocyanines as the active semiconductor thin films, is discussed, based on their dielectric behavior and observed growth characteristics.