Rational Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Rofecoxib-Based Photosensitizers for the NIR Imaging and Photo-Oxidization of Aβ Aggregates

The photo-oxidation of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein catalyzed by Aβ-targeting photosensitizers shows high potential in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, we report the first example of photosensitizers based on the rofecoxib scaffold, in which rational introduction of the electron-absorbing pyridinium/quinolinium moiety to the skeleton of rofecoxib could not only extend the absorption and emission wavelengths but also increase the efficiency of singlet oxygen (