Enhancing fluorescence by using pluronic block copolymers as carriers of monomeric porphycenes

Abstract

Porphycenes, structural isomers of porphyrins, usually exhibit strong fluorescence in organic solvents. However, in water they are practically insoluble or form only weakly emitting aggregates. We show that embedding porphycenes inside pluronic micelles in water solutions leads to the recovery of strong monomeric fluorescence, of which the decay times and quantum yields are similar to those observed for homogeneous solvents. One of the investigated porphycenes serves as a fluorescence sensor of the microenvironment viscosity, revealing that the viscosity inside pluronic micelles is quite high. Using confocal fluorescence microscopy, we obtained images of single pluronic micelles containing monomeric porphycene chromophores.

Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Photosensitizers for Antibacterial Photodynamic Therapy: A Structure–Activity Study on Clinical Bacterial Strains

“…As an alternative, synthetic compounds can be useful clinical drugs because they may interfere with multiple, previously untargeted bacterial components. For instance, amphiphiles like arsonium‐containing cationic lipids, silver complexes, phthalocyanine complexes, porphycene derivatives, or metal oxide (e.g., MgO, TiO 2 , or ZnO) nanoparticles have been reported as potent antibacterial reagents. Compared with antibiotics, they can show the noticeable advantage of being less subjected to loss of activity .…”

13th Conference on Methods and Applications in Fluorescence—MAF-13

“…These fusion proteins are sensitive to pH and viscosity changes, and could be assembled on silica particles, opening a wide range of applications. Finally, the group of Jacek Waluk [3] showed that pluronic micelles can encapsulate poorly soluble porphycenes in their monomeric and highly emissive form. The micelles could be visualized with good contrast by confocal microscopy, and are prospective for photodynamic therapy and/or photodiagnostics.…”