Ground-State Proton-Transfer (GSPT)-Assisted Enhanced Two-Photon Uncaging from a Binol-based AIE-Fluorogenic Phototrigger

We demonstrated for the first time without any chemical modification the two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section can be enhanced and red-shifted to the near-infrared (NIR) region by the ground-state proton-transfer (GSPT) process. Using GSPT, we developed a simple binol-based aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-fluorogenic phototrigger having a large two-photon uncaging cross-section in the phototherapeutic window. As a proof of concept, we showed our phototrigger for the release of two different anticancer drugs in the NIR region.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that the two-photon absorption cross-section can be enhanced and red-shifted to the near-infrared region through the ground-state proton-transfer process, without the need for any chemical modification. A simple binol-based aggregation-induced emission-fluorogenic phototrigger was developed using this process, showing potential for the release of anticancer drugs in the NIR region.