Figure 1.

Synthesis of the heptamethine carbocyanine fluorescent dye–cisplatin conjugate (DZ‐CIS). DZ‐CIS conjugate was synthesized through a succinic ester linker. DZ‐1 cis‐ and trans‐diaminedichloro‐dihydroxyplatinum (IV) (oxoplatin) 2 were mixed and reacted as described in Materials and Methods by adding N’‐ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride and dimethylaminopyridine in dimethyl sulfoxide solution.