A review of porphyrin dendrimers as light-harvesting versatile platforms

Porphyrins are essential constituents of biological systems and play critical roles in light harvesting, oxygen transport, and biocatalysis. The exceptional photophysical and electrochemical properties of porphyrin de-rivatives make them useful molecules for a wide range of applications. Nevertheless, inherent limitations, such as instability, self-aggregation, and poor water solubility limit their use in optoelectronics, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and drug delivery, among others. Dendrimers have received significant attention for their precise con-struction, unique molecular architecture, and extensive potential for functionalization. The integration of porphyrin derivatives into dendrimers can combine the distinctive light-harvesting capabilities of porphyrins with the structural properties of dendrimers, surmounting the limitations associated with porphyrins. This re-view covers the key optical and photophysical properties of porphyrin dendrimers. It provides an overview of energy and electron transfer, as well as two-photon absorption, and emphasizes recent advancements in the development of porphyrin dendrimers for photoconversion in organic photovoltaics. Finally, the challenges and perspectives presented by this emerging class of materials for photodynamic therapy (PDT) applications are examined and discussed.