UC Santa Barbara

The photochemical delivery of bioactive small molecules to physiological targets provides the opportunity to control the location, timing, and dosage of such delivery. We will discuss recent developments of the synthesis and studies of various metal complexes designed for targeted release of the bioregulatory diatomics nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. Of considerable interest are those systems where the NO or CO precursor and/or the photochemical product is luminescent such that imaging techniques allow one to identify the release location.