New photosensitizers of bacteriochlorin series for photodynamic cancer therapy

New derivatives of bacteriochlorophyll a hearing an extra glutarimide exocycle were synthesized, and their reactivity was studied. Acetyl group in 3-acetyl-2,7,12,18-tetramethyl-8-ethyl-13,15-dicarboxy-17,carboxyethyl-7,8,17,18-tetrahydroporphyrin (bacteriochlorin p) was chemically modified into alpha-hydroxyethyl and vinyl groups. A simple method of preparation of vinylbacteriopurpurin esters under the catalysis by p-toluenesulfonic acid was proposed. The resulting compounds exhibit a high adsorption in the visible and near IR areas of electronic spectra, a reasonable stability, and amphiphilic properties and, therefore, may be regarded as promising photosensitizers for the photodynamic cancer therapy.