Selectively lighting up two-photon photodynamic activity in mitochondria with AIE-active iridium(III) complexes

Herein a series of mitochondria-targeted AIE (aggregation-induced emission)-active Ir(III) complexes were designed to selectively exert one-/two-photon photodynamic activities in mitochondria to address the issues which current PDT are confronted with (i.e., shallow penetration depth of routinely used irradiation; systematic toxicity associated with effective drug concentration; concentration-quenched photodynamic activity at the target, etc.).