A “D-π-A” type NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid: Expansion of visible-light absorption and antitumor activity of lymphoma cells

[Display omitted] •A “D-π-A” type NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid has been succesfully synthesized and isolated.•The NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid has the expansion of visible-light absorption.•The NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid has a satisfied performance on antitumor activities of lymphocarcinoma cells. Herein, a “D-π-A” type NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid has been succesfully synthesized and isolated. The electronic structure was investigated by spectroscopic and electrochemical characterizations. Interestingly, the NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid has a satisfied performance on antitumor activities of two different types of lymphocarcinoma cells, and the Immunofluorescence experiment also indicated the highly stability of NiIIporphyrin-BODIPY hybrid in the vivo cells.