Synthesis and Photocytotoxicity of S-Glucosylated 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(tetrafluorophenyl)porphyrin Metal Complexes as Efficient 1O2-Generating Glycoconjugates

5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosylthio)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)porphyrin 2a and its Zn(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) complexes 2b, 2c, and 2d were prepared in excellent yields by nucleophilic substitution of the corresponding free-base porphyrin and metalloporphyrins with acetyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Deprotection of 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d by alkaline hydrolysis afforded the corresponding S-glucosylated porphyrin 3a and its metal complexes 3b, 3c, and 3d. The structures and purity of all new photosensitizers were confirmed by elemental analysis and H-1, C-13, and F-19 NMR, UV-vis, and steady-state luminescence spectroscopy. The relative efficiency of singlet oxygen (O-1(2)) production increased in the order of free-base fluoroporphyrins (2a and 3a) < Zn(II) complexes (2b and 3b) < Pd(II) complexes (2c and 3c), which can be explained in terms of the heavy-atom effect, while the O-1(2)-producing efficiency of Pt(II) complexes (2d and 3d) were exceptionally low. In vitro photocytotoxicity of these eight S-glucosylated photosensitizers was examined in HeLa cells. Although all protected photosensitizers 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d showed no photocytotoxicity, the photosensitizers 3a, 3b, and 3c exerted potent photocytotoxicity. These results clearly indicated that the sugar moieties of 3a, 3b, and 3c act as not only water-solubility-enhancing functionalities but also cellular-uptake-enhancing elements. Photocytotoxicity testing of 3a, 3b, and 3c in the presence of reactive oxygen species inhibitors suggested that O-1(2) is the major mediator of cell death. Hence, the Zn(II) and Pd(II) complexes 3b and 3c are promising photosensitizers having cellular uptake-facilitating units (sugar moieties) and enhanced O-1(2) generation due to the heavy-atom effect.