Oxidation of dihydrotetrazine triggered by near-infrared photocatalysis for photoclick chemistry

Using biocompatible near-infrared light to trigger click reactions offers a powerful approach for achieving spatiotemporal control in bioconjugate chemistry. This study demonstrates an 810-nm-wavelength photooxidation of dihydrotetrazine using cyanine as a photocatalyst to unlock the tetrazine function. This activation enables the inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction with strained alkenes.