Homoleptic oligothienyl-substituted bis(terpyridine) Ir(III) and Ru(II) complexes: synthesis, photophysics, and anticancer and antimicrobial photodynamic therapeutic effects.
In vitro PDT studies demonstrated strong photocytotoxicity under normoxia and hypoxia towards SKMEL28 melanoma cells, with Ir(4T-tpy)2 emerging as the most promising PDT agent among these four complexes, surpassing that of the most commonly used antimicrobial photosensitizers.