Photoremovable Protecting Groups for the Release of Gasotransmitter

Gasotransmitters are endogenously generated gaseous signaling molecules by specific enzymes and can elicit various biological functions at physiologically allowed concentrations by targeting specific cellular and molecular targets. Gasotransmitters are highly diffusible and their half-life period varies from a few seconds to minutes. Therefore, a variety of Gasotransmitter Donors (GDs) have been developed to enable the chemical storage and delivery of these gaseous signaling molecules to benefit a wider range of biological applications. Light triggered the release of gasotransmitter in a spatially and temporally controlled fashion has gained much interest. Our group has recently designed and synthesized many photoresponsive gasotrasmitter (NO, H2S, CO) releasing molecules based on perylene, tetraphenylethylene, p-hyroxyphenacyl, flutamide, and diazeniumdiolate.