Heavy Atom Effects in Tellurapyrylium Dyes Useful in Photodynamic Therapy and Catalytic Generation of H2O2

Abstract The large rate of intersystem crossing between singlet and triplet states of tellurapyrylium dyes leads to efficient generation of singlet oxygen in irradiated airsaturated aqueous solutions containing these dyes. One reaction of tellurapyrylium dyes with singlet oxygen and water is the formation of dihydroxy tellurane [tellurium(IV)] species. We have found that the photochemical generation of dihydroxy telluranes is reversible thermally. The tellurapyrylium dye is regenerated while a molecule of hydrogen peroxide is produced. The thermal generation of hydrogen peroxide coupled with a photochemical generation of singlet oxygen allows a catalytic cycle to be devised for the conversion of oxygen and water to hydrogen peroxide. The dihydroxy telluranes are efficient two-electron oxidizing agents and can be used as catalysts to accelerate reactions using hydrogen peroxide as a two-electron oxidizing agent. Examples of tellurapyrylium dye-mediated reactions of hydrogen peroxide include reactions of leucodyes normally oxidized by horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide. These processes lead to thermal and photochemical reactions that are potentially cytotoxic following the generation of singlet oxygen in photodynamic therapy. The regeneration of the original catalyst allows repeated treatment from a single dose.