Importance

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Abstract

A method of photochemically amplifying the chemical signal associated with unmasking a photosensitizer and releasing a radical leaving group when a photochemical chain reaction is initiated by a sensitizer attached to a molecule of interest is provided. More specifically, provided is a method of photoinduced amplification comprising: providing a plurality of masked photosensitizers, each masked photosensitizer having a masking group bonded to a photosensitizer through a releasable covalent bond which disrupts the conjugation of the photosensitizer; providing a reaction photosensitizer in releasing proximity to a first masked photosensitizer; exciting the reaction photosensitizer with photoradiation, whereby the reaction photosensitizer induces release of the masking group from the first masked photosensitizer, producing a first unmasked photosensitizer which induces release of the masking group from a second masked photosensitizer in releasing proximity to the first masked photosensitizer, and so on. The release of the masking group from masked photosensitizer continues as long as masked photosensitizers are in releasing proximity to the reaction photosensitizer, or until a side reaction occurs which stops the chain propagation, or until the source of light is turned off.

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First Claim