Photolysis reactions are widely utilized to release desired molecules under the control
of light irradiation in the fields of photochemistry, biology, and drug delivery.
In biological and medical applications, it is highly desired to increase the excitation
wavelength for activating photolysis reactions, since the long-wavelength light (red
or near-infrared light) has deep tissue penetration depth and low photocytotoxicity.
Here, we briefly summarize current strategies of achieving long-wavelength light-excitable
photolysis. We highlight our recently developed strategy of one-photon upconversion-like
photolysis. Compared with the multiphoton upconversion-based photolysis, the one-photon
strategy has a simpler energy transfer process and a higher energy utilization efficiency,
providing a new path of activating photolysis reactions with increased excitation
wavelength and photolysis quantum yield.
Key words
BODIPY - long-wavelength light excitation - photocleavable protecting groups - photocleavage
- photon upconversion - red-shifted excitation - triplet-triplet annihilation - two-photon
absorption