Physicochemical Studies of Demetalation of Light-harvesting Bacteriochlorophyll Isomers Purified from Green Sulfur Photosynthetic Bacteria

Demetalation kinetics of bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) c, d and e from green sulfur photosynthetic bacteria were studied under weakly acidic conditions. Demetalation rate constants of BChl e possessing a formyl group at the 7-position were significantly smaller than those of BChls c and d , which had a methyl group at this position. The activation energy of demetalation of 3¹ R -8,12-diethyl([E,E])-BChl e was 1.5-times larger than that of 3¹ R -[E,E]-BChl c . ¹⁵N-labeled 3¹ R -[E,E]-BChls c and e were purified from cells of green sulfur bacteria grown in a medium containing ¹⁵NH₄Cl, and their ¹⁵N NMR spectra were measured. The chemical shifts of N₂₁, N₂₂ and N₂₃ atoms of 3¹ R -[E,E]-BChl e were lower-field shifted than those of 3¹ R -[E,E]-BChl c , respectively, and especially the difference in chemical shifts of N₂₂ was significantly large. These results suggest that the electron-withdrawing formyl group at the 7-position of BChl e affected an electronic state of the chlorin macrocycle and caused BChl e to be more tolerant for removal of the central magnesium compared with BChls c and d .     

Structure‐Dependent Demetalation Kinetics of Chlorophyll a Analogs under Acidic Conditions

Demetalation of chlorophyll (Chl) a and its analogs is an important reaction in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, which produces the primary electron acceptors in photosystem II reaction centers and is crucial in the Chl degradation. From these viewpoints, demetalation reactions of four Chl a analogs, 3,8‐divinyl‐Chl a (DV‐Chl a), 3‐devinyl‐3‐ethyl‐Chl a (mesoChl a), 13²‐demethoxycarbonyl‐Chl a (pyroChl a) and protochlorophyll a (PChl a), were kinetically analyzed under weakly acidic conditions, and were compared with that of Chl a. DV‐Chl a exhibited slower demetalation kinetics than did Chl a, whereas demetalation of mesoChl a was faster than that of Chl a. The difference in demetalation kinetics of the three chlorophyllous pigments originates from the electron‐withdrawing ability of the vinyl group as the peripheral substituent compared with the ethyl group. Removal of the electron‐withdrawing and homoconjugating 13²‐methoxycarbonyl group in Chl a (Chl a → pyroChl a) accelerated demetalation kinetics by two‐fold. PChl a possessing the porphyrin‐type skeleton exhibited slower demetalation kinetics than Chl a. The structure‐dependent demetalation properties of Chl a analogs will be useful for understanding in vivo Chl demetalation reactions in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms.     

焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯衍生物的合成及其结构与光谱性能关系研究

以焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(MPP-a, 1)为起始原料,通过乙二醇对E-环羰基进行保护,选用四氧化锇和高碘酸钠将3-位碳碳双键氧化,生成131-二氧环戊基-131-去氧焦脱镁叶绿酸-d甲酯(2),经Grignard反应将3-甲酰基转换成羟烷基得仲醇3,再通过高钌酸四乙基胺和N-甲基吗啡啉N-氧化物将其氧化成酮4,脱去保护基生成3-烷酰基3-去乙烯基焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(6).焦脱镁叶绿酸-d (MPP-d)7与过量重氮甲烷发生加成和重排反应,生成6a及3-烷酰甲基3-去乙烯焦脱镁叶绿酸甲酯衍生物8和9,7的3-位醛基经过Wittig和氧化反应得到3-苯乙二酰基焦脱镁叶绿酸甲酯11.所合成的新卟吩衍生物均经UV,IR,¹H NMR及元素分析证明其结构,并且讨论了周边取代羰基对核磁共振光谱和最大可见光吸收的影响.     

Two complementary routes to 7-substituted chlorins. Partial mimics of chlorophyll B

Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b exhibit distinct spectra yet differ only in the nature of a single substituent (7-methyl versus 7-formyl, respectively). Two complementary approaches have been developed for the synthesis of 7-substituted chlorins. The first approach is a de novo route wherein 2,9-dibromo-5-p-tolyldipyrromethane (Eastern half) and 9-formyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,3,3-trimethyldipyrrin (Western half) undergo acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. The resulting zinc chlorin is sterically uncongested and bears (1) a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced, pyrroline ring, (2) a bromo substituent at the 7-position, and (3) a p-tolyl group at the 10-position. The second approach entails regioselective 7-bromination of a 10,15-diarylchlorin that lacks a substituent at the 5-position. In an extension of this latter approach, a 5,15-diarylchlorin that lacks a substituent at the 10-position undergoes regioselective bromination at the 8-position. The introduction of a TIPS-ethynyl, acetyl, or formyl group at the 7-position was achieved using Pd-catalyzed reactions with the corresponding 7-bromochlorin. In the 10-p-tolyl-substituted zinc chlorins, the series of substituents (7-TIPS-ethynyl, 7-acetyl, 7-formyl) progressively causes (1) a bathochromic shift in the absorption maximum of the B band (405 to 426 nm) and (2) a hypsochromic shift in the position of the Qy band (605 to 598 nm). The trends mirror those for chlorophyll b versus chlorophyll a but are of lesser magnitude. Taken together, the facile access to chlorins that bear auxochromes at the 7-position enables wavelength tunability and provides the foundation for fundamental spectroscopic studies.     

Synthesis of carboxylated chlorophyll derivatives and their activities in dye-sensitized solar cells

Chlorophyll-a derivatives possessing a carboxy group in the substituent at the 3-position were prepared by chemical modification of methyl pyropheophorbide-d bearing the 3-formyl group via a Wittig, Barbier-type, or Knoevenagel reaction. The synthetic carboxylated chlorophyll pigments were employed as dye sensitizers for solar cells and their performances were compared in a conventional device based on a mesoporous titanium dioxide electrode and a liquid electrolyte. The solar power conversion efficiency was suppressed with an increase in the length of the oligomethylene moiety between the chlorin π-system and the carboxy group, while a corresponding π-linked ethenylene spacer enhanced the efficiency.     

One-electron oxidation and demetalation of metalloporphyrins and chlorophyll a in dichloroethane solutions as studied by pulse radiolysis

Formation of cation radicals by pulse radiolysis of metalloporphyrins and chlorophyll a in 1,2-dichloroethane is reported Demetalation of the metalloporphyrin by radiolytically produced HC1 is also observed. Rate constants for demetalation of ZnTPP and Chl a are 1 1 × 10⁸ and ≈ 3 × 10⁸ M^?1 S^?1. Oxidation of Chl a by ZnTPP⁺ has a rate constant of ≈ 4× 10⁹ M^?1S^?1.     

Synthesis and optical properties of bacteriochlorophyll-a derivatives having various C3 substituents on the bacteriochlorin pi-system

Methyl bacteriopyropheophorbide-a derivatives having a series of substituents at the C3 position were prepared and their optical properties were compared with the corresponding chlorin analogues. Two kinds of oxidation reaction (C3-vinyl --> formyl --> carboxy group) were found to be applicable with a little alteration of the free-base bacteriochlorin macrocycles. The Qx and Qy electronic absorption peak positions of synthetic bacteriochlorins in CH2Cl2 were affected by the C3 substituents and found to be more sensitive than those of the chlorins. The observed Qx/Qy peaks in their monomeric states were shifted to a longer wavelength in the order of 1-hydroxyethyl < hydroxymethyl < acetoxymethyl < vinyl < acetyl < carboxy < formyl < 2,2-dicyanoethynyl group. Zinc complex with the C3-hydroxymethyl group formed self-aggregates in a nonpolar organic solvent, which showed the largest red-shift of the Qy band (2380 cm(-1), 726 nm in THF to 878 nm in 1% THF-cyclohexane) among those of the synthetic self-aggregative (bacterio)chlorins examined.     

Modification of 3-substituents in (bacterio)chlorophyll derivatives to prepare 3-ethylated, methylated, and unsubstituted (nickel) pyropheophorbides and their optical properties

Methyl mesopyropheophorbide-a possessing an ethyl group at the 3-position, its 3(1)-demethyl analogue (3-methyl homologue), and its 3(1)-deethyl analogue (3-unsubstituted chlorin) were prepared by modifying naturally occurring (bacterio)chlorophylls bearing 3-vinyl, formyl, acetyl, and 1-hydroxyethyl groups. These synthetic 3-(un)substituted chlorophyll derivatives and their nickel complexes are probable intermediates during degradation of (bacterio)chlorophylls to chemically stable porphyrinoids. The optical properties (visible absorption, circular dichroism, and fluorescence emission) of the catabolic candidates in a solution were measured, and the substitution effect was investigated.     

Structure-property relationships for self-assembled zinc chlorin light-harvesting dye aggregates

A series of zinc 3(1)-hydroxymethyl chlorins 10 a-e and zinc 3(1)-hydroxyethyl chlorins 17 with varied structural features were synthesized by modifying naturally occurring chlorophyll a. Solvent-, temperature-, and concentration-dependent UV/Vis and CD spectroscopic methods as well as microscopic investigations were performed to explore the importance of particular functional groups and steric effects on the self-assembly behavior of these zinc chlorins. Semisynthetic zinc chlorins 10 a-e possess the three functional units relevant for self-assembly found in their natural bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) counterparts, namely, the 3(1)-OH group, a central metal ion, and the 13(1) C==O moiety along the Q(y) axis, and they contain various 17(2)-substituents. Depending on whether the zinc chlorins have 17(2)-hydrophobic or hydrophilic side chains, they self-assemble in nonpolar organic solvents or in aqueous media, respectively. Zinc chlorins possessing at least two long side chains provide soluble self-aggregates that are stable in solution for a prolonged time, thus facilitating elucidation of their properties by optical spectroscopy. The morphology of the zinc chlorin aggregates was elucidated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies, revealing well-defined nanoscale rod structures for zinc chlorin 10 b with a height of about 6 nm. It is worth noting that this size is in good accordance with a tubular arrangement of the dyes similar to that observed in their natural BChl counterparts in the light-harvesting chlorosomes of green bacteria. Furthermore, for the epimeric 3(1)-hydroxyethyl zinc chlorins 17 with hydrophobic side chains, the influence of the chirality center at the 3(1)-position on the aggregation behavior was studied in detail by UV/Vis and CD spectroscopy. Unlike zinc chlorins 10, the 3(1)-hydroxyethyl zinc chlorins 17 formed only small oligomers and not higher rod aggregate structures, which can be attributed to the steric effect imposed by the additional methyl group at the 3(1)-position.     

Syntheses of Chalcone‐Type Chlorophyll Derivatives Possessing a Bacteriochlorin,Chlorin or Porphyrin π‐System and Their Optical Properties

C3‐(Trans‐2‐arylethenyl)carbonylated chlorophyll derivatives possessing a bacteriochlorin or chlorin π‐system were synthesized by cross‐aldol (Claisen–Schmidt) condensation of methyl pyrobacteriopheophorbide‐a or 3‐acetyl‐3‐devinyl‐pyropheophorbide‐a bearing the C3‐acetyl group with p‐(un)substituted benzaldehydes under basic conditions. The corresponding porphyrin‐type chlorophyll derivatives were prepared by the oxidation (17,18‐didehydrogenation) of the chlorin‐type. Their Qy absorption and fluorescence emission maxima in dichloromethane correlated well with Hammett substituent constants of the p‐substituents. Several electron‐withdrawing p‐substituents suppressed the emission due to photoinduced electron transfer quenching in a molecule. The substitution sensitivities for their maxima and fluorescence quantum yields decreased in the order of bacteriochlorin‐, chlorin‐ and porphyrin‐type derivatives.     

3-位长链烷基双(单)取代焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯的合成

以焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(1)为起始原料, 通过E环保护和3-位乙烯基的氧化反应得到卟吩醛2, 与长链烷基溴化镁的Grignard反应将3-位甲酰基转化为1-羟长链烷基, 选用TPAP和N-甲基吗啉N-氧化物混合氧化剂对卟吩仲醇3的羟基进行氧化, 生成3-位烷酰基焦脱镁叶绿酸-a衍生物4, 再与长链烷基溴化镁进行Grignard反应, 得到亲核加成产物卟吩叔醇5和还原产物3; 以对甲苯磺酸催化, 卟吩醇3和5在干燥苯中回流脱水, 分别给出反式结构的3-位长链烷基单或者双取代的焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯衍生物6和7. 所合成的叶绿酸衍生物均经UV, IR, ¹H NMR及元素分析证明其结构.     

Effects of substituents on synthetic analogs of chlorophylls. Part 3: The distinctive impact of auxochromes at the 7- versus 3-positions

Assessing the effects of substituents on the spectra of chlorophylls is essential for gaining a deep understanding of photosynthetic processes. Chlorophyll a and b differ solely in the nature of the 7-substituent (methyl versus formyl), whereas chlorophyll a and d differ solely in the 3-substituent (vinyl versus formyl), yet have distinct long-wavelength absorption maxima: 665 (a) 646 (b) and 692 nm (d). Herein, the spectra, singlet excited-state decay characteristics, and results from DFT calculations are examined for synthetic chlorins and 13(1)-oxophorbines that contain ethynyl, acetyl, formyl and other groups at the 3-, 7- and/or 13-positions. Substituent effects on the absorption spectra are well accounted for using Gouterman's four-orbital model. Key findings are that (1) the dramatic difference in auxochromic effects of a given substituent at the 7- versus 3- or 13-positions primarily derives from relative effects on the LUMO+1 and LUMO; (2) formyl at the 7- or 8-position effectively "porphyrinizes" the chlorin and (3) the substituent effect increases in the order of vinyl < ethynyl < acetyl < formyl. Thus, the spectral properties are governed by an intricate interplay of electronic effects of substituents at particular sites on the four frontier MOs of the chlorin macrocycle.     

Synthesis of Derivatives of Chlorin P6 Trimethyl Ester

The Vilsmeier reaction of nickel(II) chlorin P₆ trimethyl ester with 3-dimethyl-aminoacrolein yielded nickel(II) chlorin P₆ 20-(2-formylvinyl) trimethyl ester and nickel(II) chlorin P₆ 3-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-devinyl-20-(2-formylvinyl) trimethyl ester. Also, the outgrowths of nickel(II) chlorin P₆ 20-(2-formyl) trimethyl ester and nickel(II) chlorin P₆ 3-(2-formylvinyl)-3-devinyl-20-(2-formyl) trimethyl ester were obtained by Vilsmeier reaction with dimethylformamide. By treating the derivatives of nickel(II) 20-(2-formyl)-chlorin and nickel(II) 3-(2-formylvinyl)-20-(2-formyl)-chlorin with trifluoracetic acid, the removal of the central nickel(II) ion was accomplished. The derivatives of 20-(2-formyl)-chlorin and 3-(2-formylvinyl)-20-(2-formyl)-chlorin demonstrated considerable bathochromic shift of the major absorption band in the red region of the optical spectrum.     

Synthesis of 7-substituted chlorophyll-a derivatives as chlorophyll-b analogs with specific visible absorption bands

Methyl 3-substituted 13¹-deoxo-pyropheophorbides-a possessing the 7-methyl group were transformed into the corresponding 13¹-deoxo-pyropheophorbides-b bearing the 7-formyl group via the regioselective mono-dehydration of cis-7,8-diols to 7-hydroxymethyl-chlorins under mild acidic conditions. The exclusive production of the 7¹-hydroxy-chlorins without detection of the 8¹-hydroxy-chlorins in the reaction mixture did not depend on the 3-substituents. The regioselectivity was regulated by the 13-functional groups, and the ratio of the 8¹-OH over 7¹-OH products enhanced with an increase of the group electronegativity. Methyl mesopyropheophorbide-b (7-formyl-13¹-oxo-chlorin) was efficiently obtained by modifying methyl mesopyropheophorbide-a, one of the chlorophyll-a derivatives, through the protection of the 13¹-oxo moiety and the aforementioned mono-dehydration. The effects of the 7-substituents on the visible absorption spectra in a solution were comparable to those of naturally occurring, photosynthetically active chlorophylls-a/b and bacteriochlorophylls-c/e bearing the 7-methyl/formyl groups.     

Furopyridines. IX. Syntheses and properties of 3-ethoxy derivatives of furo[2,3-b]-, furo[3,2-b]-, furo[2,3-c]- and furo[3,2-c]pyridine

Reaction of ethyl 3-ethoxycarbonylmethoxyfuropyridine-2-carboxylates 2a-2d with sodium ethoxide afforded 3-ethoxy derivatives 3a-3d which converted to 3-ethoxyfuropyridines 5a-5d by hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the ester group. Vilsmeier reaction of 5a and 5b gave 2-formyl-3-ethoxy derivatives 6a and 6b and 2-formyl-3-chloro derivatives 7a and 7b , while 5c and 5d did not give any formyl compound. Bromination of 3-ethoxyfuropyridines with 1 equivalent mole of bromine gave 2-bromo-3-ethoxyfuropyridines 9a-9d , whereas reaction with 3 equivalents of bromine yielded 2,2-dibromo-3,3-diethoxy-2,3-dihydrofuropyridines ( 10a and 10b ) and/or 2-bromo-3,3-diethoxy-2,3-dihydrofuropyridines 11b , 11c and 11d . Treatment of compounds 5a-5d with n-butyllithium in hexane-tetrahydrofuran at ?70° and subsequent addition of N,N-dimethylformamide yielded 2-formyl derivatives 6a-6d .     

Pigment-pigment and pigment-protein interactions in recombinant water-soluble chlorophyll proteins (WSCP) from cauliflower

Plants contain water-soluble chlorophyll-binding proteins (WSCPs) that function neither as antennas nor as components of light-induced electron transfer of photosynthesis but are likely constituents of regulatory protective pathways in particular under stress conditions. This study presents results on the spectroscopic properties of recombinant WSCP from cauliflower reconstituted with chlorophyll b (Chl b) alone or with mixtures of Chl a and Chl b. Two types of experiments were performed: (a) measurements of stationary absorption spectra at 77 and 298 K and CD spectra at 298 K and (b) monitoring of laser flash-induced transient absorption changes with a resolution of 200 fs in the time domain of up to 100 ps. On the basis of a theoretical analysis outlined by Renger et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, 10487) the data obtained in part (a) are interpreted within a model where tetrameric WSCP binds predominantly two Chl molecules in the form of an excitonically coupled "open sandwich" dimer with a tilt angle of about 30 degrees between the chlorin planes. The time-resolved measurements on Chl a/Chl b heterodimers are described by two exponential kinetics with time constants of 400 fs and 7 ps. These kinetics are assumed to reflect a heterogeneous population of WSCPs with Chl dimers either in excitonic coupled "open sandwich" or weakly coupled geometric arrays. The 400 fs component is assigned to excited-state relaxations from the upper to the lower excitonic level of the strongly coupled "open sandwich" dimer, while the 7-8 ps component probably indicates excitation energy transfer from 1Chl b* to Chl a in a dimer array with weak coupling due to significantly longer mutual distances between the chlorin rings.     

Effects of Substituents on Synthetic Analogs of Chlorophylls. Part 4: How Formyl Group Location Dictates the Spectral Properties of Chlorophylls b,d and f

Photosynthetic organisms are adapted to light characteristics in their habitat in part via the spectral characteristics of the associated chlorophyll pigments, which differ in the position of a formyl group around the chlorin macrocycle (chlorophylls b, d, f) or no formyl group (chlorophyll a). To probe the origin of this spectral tuning, the photophysical and electronic structural properties of a new set of synthetic chlorins are reported. The zinc and free base chlorins have a formyl group at either the 2‐ or 3‐position. The four compounds have fluorescence yields in the range 0.19–0.28 and singlet excited‐state lifetimes of ca 4 ns for zinc chelates and ca 8 ns for the free base forms. The photophysical properties of the 2‐ and 3‐formyl zinc chlorins are similar to those observed previously for 13‐formyl or 3,13‐diformyl chlorins, but differ markedly from those for 7‐formyl analogs. Molecular‐orbital characteristics obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used as input to spectral simulations employing the four‐orbital model. The analysis has uncovered the key changes in electronic structure engendered by the presence/location of a formyl group at various macrocycle positions, which is relevant to understanding the distinct spectral properties of the natural chlorophylls a, b, d and f.     

Facile iodination of the vinyl groups in protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester and subsequent transformation of the iodinated moieties

Iodination of protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester using phenyliodine bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) and I₂ was studied. Iodine added to both the C3- and C8-vinyl groups equally to afford the iodohydrin or iodoether in the presence of water or alcohol, respectively. Any meso-hydrogen atom was not substituted by an iodine atom under these conditions, although both the vinyl group and one of the meso positions of methyl pyropheophorbide-a bearing a chlorin π-system, a chlorophyll-a derivative, was modified with PIFA and I₂. The reaction intermediates derived from the porphyrin were more reactive than those from the chlorin and liable to form intermolecular linkages. The obtained 2-iodo-1-hydroxyethyl group was transformed into a formyl group by a mild treatment. The corresponding iodoether moiety was readily converted into the acetyl group under basic conditions. These transformations were also applicable to smaller olefins such as styrene.     

Synthesis and optical properties of C3-ethynylated chlorin and π-extended chlorophyll dyads

A C3-ethynylated chlorophyll derivative was prepared from methyl pyropheophorbide-d possessing a 3-formyl group by treatment of Bestmann-Ohira reagent. The mono-substituted acetylene was subjected to coupling reactions at the terminal acetylenic carbon atom to form a series of π-extended chlorophyll derivatives. Replacement of the terminal hydrogen to phenyl, phenylethynyl and C3-chlorin-ethynyl caused red-shifts of their Q_y (0,0) maxima from 675 to 679, 686, and 696 nm, respectively. Optical properties of C3²-substituted 3-ethynyl-chlorophyll derivatives including chlorophyll dyads were investigated in comparison with those of their related compounds. Partial quenching of the fluorescence emission (Φ_flu=0.14) was observed for ortho-substituted dyad, compared to meta- (Φ=0.27) and para-dyads (Φ=0.29), suggesting a through-space interaction between the two chlorin macrocycles in a molecule.     

红紫素-18酰亚胺衍生物的化学修饰

以脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯为原料, 通过对其3-位乙烯基的氧化, 得到了3-甲酰基脱镁叶绿酸甲酯, 利用Wittig反应合成了对应的3-(2-取代的乙烯基)脱镁叶绿酸甲酯. 结合E环的改造, 将其转变成酸酐环进而转变成N-取代的酰亚胺环. 目标化合物具有亲水区和疏水区两部分, 吸收波长明显向红位移. 合成得到的红紫素-18酰亚胺衍生物有可能成为光动力疗癌的理想光敏剂. 合成的新化合物均由核磁共振、红外光谱、元素分析和质谱予以证实.