Water-soluble cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes as carrier-free and pure nanoparticle photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy and cell imaging.

Herein, we provide a new and facile strategy to successfully overcome the inherent aggregation-caused quenching effect and hydrophobicity that exist in traditional PSs by the introduction of sodium salts. The obtained water-soluble Ir(iii) complexes as carrier-free and pure nanoparticle photosensitizers exhibit excellent performance in photodynamic therapy and cell imaging.