[Objective ]The aim of this study was to improve the photostability of pho-tosensitizers. [Method] 2,5-Diphenylthiophene and 2,5-dithienylethynylthiophene were synthesized by replacing thiophene rings of α-terthienyl （α-T） with benzene rings. Photoactivated activities on Spodoptera litura （SL） cells, singlet oxygen with UV and photostability of photosensitizers were investigated. [Result] The cytotoxicity of pho-tosensitizer 2,5-diphenylthiophene on SL cells was 0.22 and 0.16 μg/ml after treat-ment for 24 and 48 h, respectively, while that of 2,5-dithienylethynylthiophene on SL cells was 0.06 and 0.04 μg/ml. Singlet oxygen of 2,5-diphenylthiophene and 2,5-dithienylethynylthiophene was 1.047 5, 1.529 4 μg/mmol under UV, respectively. Degradation dynamic equations of 2,5-diphenylthiophene and 2,5-dithienylethynylthio-phene in methanol were Ct= 5.227 1e-0.006 1t, Ct= 5.084 2e-0.097 3t and half life was 111.79, 7.12 h. [Conclusion] Photosensitizer 2,5-diphenylthiophene has high singlet oxygen production ability, and high photoactivated cytotoxicity on SL cells under UV. Moreover, 2,5-diphenylthiophene has overcome the deficiency of photoactivated in-secticides, which is not applied directly in field because it degrades quickly in the environment.
