Abstract
•The covalent functionalization of NCC with fullerene derivatives is described.•The obtained derivatives were fully characterized using spectroscopic technics and formed stable colloidal suspensions at concentrations up to 0.5mg/mL.•They act as effective photosensitizers for singlet oxygen production as demonstrated by the oxidation of L-methionine-methyl ester to the corresponding sulphoxide.•The compounds showed no cytotoxicity on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
The covalent grafting of two amino-fullerene C60 derivatives (C60-LC-NH2 and C60-SC-NH2, LC=long chain and SC=short chain) onto the surface of TEMPO oxidized nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC-COOH) has been reported for the first time. These hybrids (NCC-LC-C60 and NCC-SC-C60) form stable colloidal suspensions at concentrations up to 0.5mg/mL and act as effective photosensitizers for singlet oxygen production as demonstrated by the oxidation of L-methionine-methyl ester to the corresponding sulphoxide. Using the same approach, in a one-pot reaction both a fluorescent target molecule (FITC-LC-NH2) and the C60-LC-NH2 derivative have been successfully attached covalently onto the NCC-COOH surface. These hybrids, which showed no cytotoxicity on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells could be good candidates in photodynamic cancer therapy.