Abstract
We describe a physical-organic study of two fluoropolymers bearing a photoreleasable PEGylated photosensitizer which generates 1O2(1Δg) [chlorin e6 methoxy tri(ethylene glycol) triester]. The surfaces are Teflon/polyvinylalcohol (PVA) nanocomposite and fluorinated silica. The relative efficiency of these surfaces to photorelease the PEGylated sensitizer [shown previously to be phototoxic to ovarian cancer cells (Kimani, S. et al. J. Org. Chem 2012, 77, 10638)] was slightly higher for the nanocomposite. In the presence of red light and O2, 1O2 is formed on the surface, which cleaves an ethene linkage to liberate the sensitizer in 68-92% yields. The fluoropolymers were designed to deal with multiple problems. Namely, their success relied not only high O2 solubility and drug repellency, but that the C-F bonds physically quench little 1O2 for its productive use away from the surface. The results obtained here indicate that Teflon-like surfaces have potential uses of delivering sensitizer and singlet oxygen for applications in tissue repair and photodynamic therapy (PDT).