Naphtho[1,8-ef]isoindole-7,8,10(9H)-trione as Novel Theranostic Agents for Photodynamic Therapy and Multi-Subcellular Organelles Localization

A series of naphtho[1,8-ef]isoindole-7,8,10(9H)-trione derivatives as novel theranostic agents for photodynamic therapy and multi-subcellular organelles localization were designed and synthesized. Most of them possess moderate fluorescence quantum yield and long wavelength absorption simultaneously, which made them possible for dual effects of imaging and therapy. Notably, compounds 7 b and 7 d exhibited significant light-toxicity but slight dark-toxicity. Confocal fluorescence microscopy experiments demonstrated that compound 7 b can locate and image in special multi-subcellular organelles. All the research results implied that naphtho[1,8-ef] isoindole-7,8,10(9H)-trione derivatives can be applied as a new series of theranostic agents with the characteristics of photodynamic therapy and multi-subcellular organelles imaging.