Resumen: Bioactive and luminescent cyclometallated Ir(III) complexes Ir(ppy)2L1]Cl (1) and Ir(ppy)2L2]Cl (2) containing a benzimidazole derivative (L1/L2) as auxiliary mimic of a nucleotide have been synthesised. The emissive properties of both complexes are conditioned by the nature of L1 and L2, rendering an orange and a green emitter respectively. Both are highly emissive with quantum yield increasing in absence of oxygen up to 0.26 (1) and 0.36 (2), suggesting their phosphorescent character. Antiproliferative activity against lung cancer A549 cells increased up to 15 times upon irradiation conditions, reaching IC50 values in the nanomolar range (0.3±0.09 µM (1) and 0.26±0.14 µM (2)) and pointing them as good PSs candidates for photodynamic therapy via 1O2 generation. Cellular biodistribution analysis by fluorescence microscopy suggest the lysosomes as the preferential accumulation organelle. Time-resolved studies showed a greatly increased cellular emission lifetime compared to the solution values, indicating binding to macromolecules or cellular structures and restriction of collision and vibrational quenching. Idioma: Inglés DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200244 Año: 2022 Publicado en: CHEMMEDCHEM 17 (2022), [1-11] ISSN: 1860-7179 Factor impacto JCR: 3.4 (2022) Categ. JCR: PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY rank: 125 / 278 = 0.45 (2022) - Q2 - T2 Categ. JCR: CHEMISTRY, MEDICINAL rank: 33 / 60 = 0.55 (2022) - Q3 - T2 Factor impacto CITESCORE: 5.6 - Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Q2) - Chemistry (Q2) - Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (Q2)