Photophysical studies of meso-tetrakis(4-nitrophenyl) and meso-tetrakis(4-sulfophenyl) gallium porphyrins loaded into Pluronic F127 polymeric micelles

[Display omitted] Gallium porphyrins and their metal free derivatives were successfully incorporated into Pluronic F127 polymeric micelles withimproved singlet oxygen quantum yields. •Pluronic F127 polymeric micelles were formed in the presence of porphyrins.•Melalloporphyrins were located more in hydrophobic interface region of Pluronic F-127.•Singlet oxygen quantum yields of the porphyrins increased upon incorporation. 5,10,15,20-Tetra(4-nitrophenyl) porphyrinato gallium chloride (ClGaTNPP) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-sulfophenyl) porphyrinato gallium chloride (ClGaTSPP) and their metal free derivatives were successfully synthesised and were added to Pluronic F127 polymeric micelles to form ClGaTNPP-F127 (or H2TNPP-F127) and ClGaTSPP-F127 (or H2TSPP-F127), respectively. The fluorescence and singlet oxygen generating behaviour of the porphyrins were investigated following incorporation. The fluorescence lifetimes were short-lived upon incorporation into the polymer, compared to the porphyrin alone; suggesting the quenching of the lifetimes of the porphyrin by the polymers. Singlet oxygen quantum yields were determined to be 0.55 and 0.59 for ClGaTSPP and ClGaTSPP-F127, respectively. Thus there is an increase in singlet oxygen quantum yields in the presence of Pluronic F127 compared to the porphyrin alone. ClGaTSPP-F127 (or H2TSPP-F127) showed higher values of the binding constant (Kb) as well as high values of the Stern-Volmer constant (Ksv) compared to ClGaTNPP-F127 (or H2TNPP-F127).