Microwave-mediated ‘click-chemistry’ synthesis of glycoporphyrin derivatives and in vitro photocytotoxicity for application in photodynamic therapy

Abstract In this paper, we report the synthesis of a series of porphyrins, designed as photodynamic therapy (PDT) agents, substituted by three glycosyl units linked by a triazole group to chromophore in the aim to target tumor cells overexpressing lectin-type membrane receptors, by ‘click-chemistry’ under microwave heating.