- Singlet oxygen can be released in the dark in nearly quantitative yield from endoperoxides of naphthalenes, anthracenes and pyridones as an alternative to its generation by photosensitization. Recently, new donor systems have been designed which operate at very low temperatures but which are prepared from their parent forms at acceptable rates. Enhancement of the reactivity of donors is conveniently achieved by the design of the substitution pattern or through the use of plasmonic heating of nanoparticle-bound donors. The most important aim of these donor molecules is to transfer singlet oxygen in a controlled and directed manner to a target. Low temperatures and the linking between donors and acceptors reduce the random walk of oxygen and may force an attack at the desired position. By using chiral donor systems, new stereocenters might be introduced into prochiral acceptors.
