A Model for Light‐Triggered Porphyrin Anticancer Prodrugs Based on an o‐Nitrobenzyl Photolabile Group

Abstract A model for light‐triggered porphyrin anticancer prodrug 1 was designed and synthesized. Upon photolysis, prodrug 1 can efficiently liberate the anticancer drug tegafur. The MTT assay demonstrates that prodrug 1 is significantly less toxic than its parent drug tegafur, and 1 can release tegafur upon photoactivation in vitro. The light‐triggered porphyrin anticancer prodrug technique developed herein may find useful applications in chemotherapy to minimize the side effects of anticancer drugs because of the tumor affinity property of porphyrin and the light‐controllable anticancer drug dosing. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)