Near-IR-triggered, remote-controlled release of metal ions: A novel strategy for caged ions

摘要

A ligand incorporating a dithioethenyl moiety is cleaved into fragments which have a lower metal-ion affinity upon irradiation with low-energy red/near-IR light. The cleavage is a result of singlet oxygen generation which occurs on excitation of the photosensitizer modules. The method has many tunable factors that could make it a satisfactory caging strategy for metal ions. Metal ions on demand: Near-IR irradiation of a designer ligand results in singlet-oxygen-mediated fragmentation with the consequent release of metal ions. The modular nature of the "cage" may herald a new class of agents that could supply chemical effectors on demand. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.