A probe for the in situ monitoring of singlet oxygen generation during targeted theranostic photodynamic therapy is developed based on a photosensitizer with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics and conjugated to a fluorogenic rhodol dye via a singlet oxygen cleavable linker.
The newly-discovered photo-chemical reaction of imidazole, producing highly luminescent benzoylimino product, showed great potentials in fluorescent probe as an oxygen sensor.