In the Search for Photocages Cleavable with Visible Light: An Overview of Recent Advances and Chemical Strategies

Photopharmacological tools enable the precise spatiotemporal control of small molecule drugs. Amongst them, caged compounds incorporate a photolabile moiety which is released under illumination, thus liberating the active molecule. Caging groups have long been known and many chemical scaffolds have already been used in different applications. However, most of the initial examples are cleaved with UV light, which suffers from low tissue permeability and cell damage. Recently, caging groups that are released under visible light have been reported, which expand their utility. In this review, we outline the chemical strategies that have been used to increase the absorption wavelengths; we compare their photophysical properties, discuss their synthetic accessibility, and exemplify some of their biological applications.

Automated summary

Photopharmacological tools allow precise control of small molecule drugs through the release of active molecules under illumination. Recent developments have led to the design of caging groups that can be released under visible light, expanding the utility of these tools. This review outlines the chemical strategies used to increase absorption wavelengths and discusses their synthetic accessibility and biological applications.