Exploring the Unique Properties of Designed Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines

Abstract

The design and synthesis of novel porphyrins (Pors) and phthalocyanines (Pcs) for different applications have been an extremely hot area. The possibility of mimic most of the vital functions of the natural porphyrin derivatives, make this type of compounds unique in many scientific and technological areas, especially when combined with light.1 The possibility of decorate the periphery of their cores with different motifs and select their central metals, allow to fine-tune the physico-chemical properties/functionalities of novel molecules/materials to be used in these areas.1 In collaboration with colleagues from complementary areas, we have successfully been designing, synthesizing and evaluate several of these dyes in: i) photomedicine, acting as singlet oxygen generators, especially in cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT)2 and in (multi)resistant pathogenic microorganisms photodynamic inactivation (PDI);3 ii) optical (chemo)sensors, to detect, trap and/or degrade pollutants from contaminated environments, such as anionic4 and nitro aromatic compounds;5 iii) (photo)catalysts, to be used in industrial and environmental applications;6 and iv) the construction of several other functional materials, especially when combined with nanostructures.7In this communication, it will be highlighted some of our recent works, presenting the used synthetic strategies and the obtained results in the indicated applications. Achnowledgements:Thanks are due to the Universities of Aveiro and Ghent, FCT (Portugal) and FEDER for funding the projects PTDC/QUI/65228/2006 and PTDC/CTM/101538/2008; CNPq (Brazil) for funding the program “Ciência sem Fronteiras/2012” (4802069445108663); and to the European Commission for the Marie Curie Initial Training Network FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN/316975.