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.     

Self-aggregation of synthetic protobacteriochlorophyll-d derivatives

3(1)-Racemically pure zinc 3(1)-hydroxy-13(1)-oxo-porphyrins (zinc methyl 17,18-dehydro-bacteriopheophorbides-d) as well as their 3(1)-demethyl form were prepared by modifying chlorophyll-a through oxidation by 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-benzoquinone. From visible, circular dichroism and infrared spectral analyses, these synthetic pigments self-aggregated in 1%(vol/vol) tetrahydrofuran and cyclohexane to give large oligomers by an intermolecular bonding of 13-C=O...H-O(3(1))...Zn(central) and pi-pi interaction of the porphyrin chromophores. The supramolecular structures are similar to those of the corresponding chlorins and a core part of extramembranous light-harvesting antennas of photosynthetic green bacteria. The 17,18-dehydrogenation of a chlorin to porphyrin moiety did not disturb its self-aggregation and the synthetic zinc porphyrins are good models for naturally occurring self-aggregative bacteriochlorophylls.     

Self-aggregation of synthetic zinc 2-hydroxy-12/13-oxo-porphyrins

Zinc complexes of 2¹-hydroxy-12¹/13¹-oxo-porphyrins were prepared by modifying octaethylporphyrin as models of self-aggregative chlorophylls found in extramembranous antennas of green photosynthetic bacteria. Their visible absorption spectra showed that less hindered interactive groups, such as CH₂OH and CHO in a synthetic zinc porphyrin molecule were necessary for their self-aggregation in non-polar organic solvents. Zinc 2-hydroxymethyl-12-formyl-porphyrin self-aggregated to form larger oligomers with red-shifted broad visible bands than the 2,13-regioisomer, indicating that the linear location of OH, Zn and CO in a molecule is requisite for similar self-aggregation with natural systems.     

Temperature-dependent spectral changes of self-aggregates of zinc chlorophylls esterified by different linear alcohols at the 17-propionate

Systematically synthetic zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-13¹-oxo-chlorins esterified by different linear alcohols (methanol, 1-propanol, 1-hexanol, 1-dodecanol and 1-octadecanol) at the 17-propionate were self-assembled in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in an aqueous solution. These zinc chlorins exhibited red-shifted Q _y absorption bands and circular dichroism (CD) signals in the corresponding Q _y region after incubation for 17 h, indicating that the zinc chlorins formed self-aggregates like those in natural chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria. Visible absorption and CD spectra of self-aggregates of the zinc chlorins depended on the length of their esterifying alcohols. Zinc chlorins esterified by shorter alcohols gave larger changes in their visible absorption and CD spectra after incubation above 40°C, whereas zinc chlorins esterified by longer alcohols afforded smaller changes. These results indicate that hydrophobic interaction among esterifying chains of chlorin molecules as well as that between the esterifying chains and peripheral surfactants or lipids play an important role in the stability of chlorosomal self-aggregates.     

Synthesis of zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-porphyrins possessing carbonyl groups at the 13- and/or 15-positions for models of self-aggregative chlorophylls in green photosynthetic bacteria

Zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-protopyropheophorbide-d derivatives 1, 2, and 3 possessing carbonyl group(s) at the 13/15-, 13-, and 15-positions, respectively, and 4 lacking the C=O group were prepared from naturally occurring chlorophyll-a. Zinc porphyrins 1 and 2 possessing the 13-C=O self-aggregated in an aqueous micellar solution, similarly to the self-aggregates of BChls-c/d/e in the main light-harvesting antenna systems of green photosynthetic bacteria, whereas 3 and 4 lacking the 13-C=O failed to make such well-ordered aggregates. These results indicated that both the presence of the C=O group and its situation at the 13-position were preferable for formation of the well-ordered J-aggregates.     

CO2 photoreduction with long-wavelength light: dyads and monomers of zinc porphyrin and rhenium bipyridine

Photocatalytic CO(2) reduction has been studied for two dyads with porphyrin covalently attached to rhenium tricarbonyl bipyridine moieties, and on separate components consisting of [Re(CO)(3)(Picoline)Bpy](+) and either zinc porphyrin or zinc chlorin. TONs decrease in the order: zinc porphyrin + Re > long spacer dyad > zinc chlorin + Re > short spacer dyad.     

Artificial Light-Harvesting Antennae: Singlet Excitation Energy Transfer from Zinc Chlorin Aggregate to Bacteriochlorin in Homogeneous Hexane Solution

Abstract— Zinc chlorins possessing 3¹-hydroxyl and 13¹-carbonyl groups self-assemble in nonpolar solvents, such as hexane, in a manner similar to bacteriochlorophyll c in the chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria. Visible absorption and steady-state fluorescence measurements of zinc chlorin aggregates containing a small amount of the bacteriochlorin-zinc chlorin dyad molecules showed that singlet excitation energy transfer from the zinc chlorin aggregate to the bacteriochlorin moiety of the coaggre-gated dyad occurs in the homogeneous solution. In the coaggregated dyad, the bacteriochlorin moiety plays the role of an efficient energy trap and the chlorin moiety the role of an anchor to the donor aggregate. The artificial assembly thus mimics the structure and function of natural chlorosomes and can be considered as the first in vitro supramolecular light-harvesting antenna.     

Synthesis of Zinc Chlorophyll Homo/Hetero‐Dyads and their Folded Conformers with Porphyrin,Chlorin, and Bacteriochlorin π‐Systems

Zinc complex of pyropheophorbide‐b, a derivative of chlorophyll‐b, was covalently dimerized through ethylene glycol diester. The synthetic homo‐dyad was axially ligated with two methanol molecules from the β‐face and both the diastereomerically coordinating methanol species were hydrogen bonded with the keto‐carbonyl groups of the neighboring chlorin in a complex. The resulting folded conformer in a solution was confirmed by visible, ¹H NMR and IR spectra. All the synthetic zinc chlorin homo‐ and hetero‐dyads consisting of pyropheophorbides‐a, b and/or d took the above methanol‐locked and π–π stacked supramolecules in 1% (v/v) methanol and benzene to give redmost (Qy) electronic absorption band(s) at longer wavelengths than those of the corresponding monomeric chlorin composites. The other zinc chlorin and bacteriochlorin homo‐dyads completely formed similar folded conformers in the same solution, while zinc inverse chlorin and porphyrin homo‐dyads partially took such supramolecules. The J‐type aggregation to folded conformers and the redshift values of composite Qy bands were dependent on the electronic and steric factors of porphyrinoid moieties in dyads.     

Synthesis of 20-iodochlorophyll derivatives and their properties including reactivity,electronic absorption,and self-aggregation

Methyl 20-iodopyropheophorbides-a possessing several substituents at the 3-position were prepared by treatment of the corresponding 20-unsubstituted chlorophyll-a derivatives with iodine and [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene in chloroform and water at room temperature. The sterically demanding 20-iodination was clean, efficient, and regioselective without alteration of the 3-substituents, and also highly reproducible. The resulting 20-iodides were so reactive that they were readily transformed into 20-acetylchlorin (Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling) and 20-unsubstituted chlorin (acidic deiodination). Electronic absorption spectra in dichloromethane showed that the 20-iodination shifted the maxima to longer wavelengths in their monomeric states. Zinc complexes of 3¹-hydroxy-20-iodo-13¹-oxochlorins self-aggregated in non-polar organic solvents to give red-shifted and broadened absorption bands, similarly as in the corresponding 20-unsubstituted molecules, which are good models of the main light-harvesting antenna systems in photosynthetic green bacteria.     

Porphyrin complexes containing coordinated BOB groups: synthesis, chemical reactivity and the structure of [BOB(tpClpp)]2+

The reactions of boron halides with free base porphyrins under conditions where partial hydrolysis of the boron halides can occur give diboron porphyrin complexes containing BOB moieties in which each boron is bonded to two porphyrin nitrogen atoms. BF(3).OEt(2) with H(2)(por) gives B(2)OF(2)(por) (por = tpp, ttp, tpClpp, oep) which has an asymmetric structure in which one boron lies in the porphyrin plane (B(ip)) while the other lies above it (B(oop)). BCl(3).MeCN with H(2)(por) gives B(2)O(2)(BCl(3))(2)(por) which contains a four-membered B(2)O(2) ring and is stable only in the presence of excess BCl(3). BBr(3) with Li(2)(tpClpp) gives the dicationic complex [B(2)O(tpClpp)](2+) as its [BBr(4)](-) salt, and is the first example of a boron porphyrin containing three-coordinate boron to be structurally characterised. B(2)O(2)(BCl(3))(2)(por) can be chromatographed on basic alumina to give the hydroxyboron complex B(2)O(OH)(2)(por), which is deduced from its NMR spectra and DFT calculations to have a structure analogous to B(2)OF(2)(por). The OH protons are shifted upfield to near delta -4 (B(oop)-OH) and -10 (B(ip)-OH) by the diamagnetic porphyrin ring current. The reaction of either B(2)O(2)(BCl(3))(2)(por) or B(2)O(OH)(2)(por) (por = ttp, tpClpp) with alcohols (ROH, R = Et, 4-C(6)H(4)CH(3)) gives B(2)O(OR)(2)(por), which can in turn be converted to B(2)O(OR)(OH)(por) by repeated chromatography. The reaction of PhBCl(2) with H(2)(por) (por = ttp, tpClpp) gives B(2)O(Ph)(OH)(por) which has been characterised by spectroscopy in concert with DFT calculations. It is a further example of the B(2)OF(2)(por) structural type, in which the phenyl group is coordinated to the out-of-plane boron and the OH group to the in-plane boron, as are its derivatives B(2)O(Ph)(X)(tpClpp) (X = F, OEt). Steric drivers for the facile hydrolysis of haloboron porphyrins relative to their dipyrromethene and expanded porphyrin counterparts are discussed.     

Effects of substituents on synthetic analogs of chlorophylls. Part 1: Synthesis, vibrational properties and excited-state decay characteristics

Understanding the effects of substituents on the spectra of chlorins is essential for a wide variety of applications. Recent developments in synthetic methodology have made possible systematic studies of the properties of the chlorin macrocycle as a function of diverse types and patterns of substituents. In this paper, the spectral, vibrational and excited-state decay characteristics are examined for a set of synthetic chlorins. The chlorins bear substituents at the 5,10,15 (meso) positions or the 3,13 (beta) positions (plus 10-mesityl in a series of compounds) and include 24 zinc chlorins, 18 free base (Fb) analogs and one Fb or zinc oxophorbine. The oxophorbine contains the keto-bearing isocyclic ring present in the natural photosynthetic pigments (e.g. chlorophyll a). The substituents cause no significant perturbation to the structure of the chlorin macrocycle, as evidenced by the vibrational properties investigated using resonance Raman spectroscopy. In contrast, the fluorescence properties are significantly altered due to the electronic effects of substituents. For example, the fluorescence wavelength maximum, quantum yield and lifetime for a zinc chlorin bearing 3,13-diacetyl and 10-mesityl groups (662 nm, 0.28, 6.0 ns) differ substantially from those of the parent unsubstituted chlorin (602 nm, 0.062, 1.7 ns). Each of these properties of the lowest singlet excited state can be progressively stepped between these two extremes by incorporating different substituents. These perturbations are associated with significant changes in the rate constants of the decay pathways of the lowest excited singlet state. In this regard, the zinc chlorins with the red-most fluorescence also have the greatest radiative decay rate constant and are expected to have the fastest nonradiative internal conversion to the ground state. Nonetheless, these complexes have the longest singlet excited-state lifetime. The Fb chlorins bearing the same substituents exhibit similar fluorescence properties. Such combinations of factors render the chlorins suitable for a range of applications that require tunable coverage of the solar spectrum, long-lived excited states and red-region fluorescence.     

Synthetic chlorins bearing auxochromes at the 3- and 13-positions

Synthetic chlorins bearing diverse auxochromes at the 3- and 13-positions of the macrocycle are valuable targets given their resemblance to chlorophylls a and b, which bear 3-vinyl and 13-keto groups. A de novo route has been exploited to construct nine zinc chlorins bearing substituents at the 3- and 13-positions and two benchmark zinc chlorins lacking such substituents. The chlorins are sterically uncongested and bear (1) a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced pyrroline ring, (2) a H, an acetyl, a triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS-ethynyl), or a vinyl at the 3-position, (3) a H, an acetyl, or TIPS-ethynyl at the 13-position, and (4) a H or a mesityl at the 10-position. The synthesis of the 13-substituted chlorins relied on p-TsOH x H2O-catalyzed condensation of an 8,9-dibromo-1-formyldipyrromethane (eastern half) and 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,3,3-trimethyldipyrrin (western half), followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization, affording the 13-bromochlorin. Similar use of a bromo- or TIPS-ethynyl-substituted western half provided access to 3-substituted chlorins. A 3-bromo, 13-bromo, or 3,13-dibromochlorin was further transformed by Pd-coupling to introduce the vinyl group (via tributylvinyltin), TIPS-ethynyl group (via TIPS-acetylene), or acetyl group (via tributyl(1-ethoxyvinyl)tin, followed by acidic hydrolysis). In the 10-mesityl-substituted zinc chlorins, the series of substituents, 3-vinyl, 13-TIPS-ethynyl, 3-TIPS-ethynyl, 13-acetyl, 3,13-bis(TIPS-ethynyl), 3-TIPS-ethynyl-13-acetyl, or 3,13-diacetyl, progressively causes (1) a redshift in the absorption maximum of the B band (405-436 nm) and the Q(y) band (606-662 nm), (2) a relative increase in the intensity of the Q(y) band (I(B)/I(Q) = 4.2-1.5), and (3) an increase in the fluorescence quantum yield phi(f) (0.059-0.29). The zinc chlorins bearing a 3-TIPS-ethynyl-13-acetyl or a 3,13-diacetyl group exhibit a number of spectral properties resembling those of chlorophyll a or its zinc analogue. Taken together, this study provides access to finely tuned chlorins for spectroscopic studies and diverse applications.     

光学活性金属卟啉的磁手性效应研究

磁光学活性与自然光学活性均可用介质对左右圆偏振光的吸收之差来表示 .但自然光学活性和磁光学活性的物理机制是截然不同的 ,前者源于镜象不能互相重叠介质的非定域光学响应 ( nonlocaloptical response) ,而后者则是由于介质的时间反演对称性 ( time- reversal symmetry)被磁场打破所致 .理论分析表明 ,当介质的两种光学活性同时存在时 ,将会出现一个新的附加光学效应 ,这种磁光学活性与自然光学活性之间的交叉效应称为磁手性效应 ( magneto- chiral effect)或磁手二色性 ( magneto-chiral dichroism) [1,2 ] .磁手性效应通常很弱 ,直到 1…     

Effect of pyridine on the reaction of “spanned” zinc porphyrin with organic peroxides

The reaction of “spanned” zinc porphyrin with organic peroxides in the presence of pyridine at 298 K was studied. The kinetic characteristics of the reaction were obtained. The presence of pyridine favors the formation of the zinc chlorin complex. The nature of the nitrogen base affects the character and rate of the reactions of the zinc porphyrin with peroxide. The structures of the sterically strained metal porphyrin and of the chlorin complex formed in the reaction were optimized by PM3 calculations. As follows from the geometric structure of the macrocyclic compounds, the deformations of the macroring enhance in going from zinc porphyrin to zinc chlorin.     

3-位苯并含氮杂环取代的焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯的合成

以焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(MPP-a)(1)为起始原料，在二氯甲烷中与醋酸锌共回流得锌配合物2，在四氯钯锂催化下，通过与苯基氯化汞的偶联反应生成3b-苯基焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(3)．分别选用四氧化锇、高钌酸四丙基铵(TPAP)和N-甲基吗啉N-氧化物将环外烯键氧化成邻二酮(4)．在酸性条件下，4与邻苯二胺的缩合形成了3-位喹喔啉取代的焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(5)．用四氧化锇和高碘酸钠将1的3-位碳碳双键氧化，则生成焦脱镁叶绿酸-d甲酯(6)．所得卟吩醛与环己二酮和萘胺进行一锅法反应，得到3-位苯并吖啶取代的焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯(7)．所合成的新卟吩化合物均经UV，IR，^1H NMR及元素分析证明其结构．     

Synthesis, Characterization and Weak Intramolecular Interactions of Porphyrins Bearing Nucleobases

5,10, 15-Triphenyl-20-{2- [α- (adenine-9 ) acetylamino]} phenyl porphyrin ( 1 ), 5,10, 15-triphenyl-20-{2-[α-(cytosine-1)acetylamino]} phenyl porphyrin (2), 5, 10, 15-triphenyl-20-{4-[α-(cytosine-1)ethoxy]} phenyl porphyrin (3) and their zinc complexes Zn-1, Zn-2 and Zn-3 have been prepared and characterized by ^1H NMR spectra, elemental analyses, electronic absorption spectra and mass spectra (FAB). Intramolecular π-π interactions and intramolecular metal-~ interaction for 1, 2, Zn-1,and Zn-2 have been investigated by several methods. ^1H NMR studies demonstrate that the porphyrin π-system in 1 and 2 is parallel to the adenine and the cytosine aromatic ring, respectively. The electronic absorption spectral properties of free porphyrin derivatives and their zinc complexes have been compared with those of H2TPP and ZnTPP. The results show that the UV-vis spectra of 1 and 2 are the same as that of H2TPP,whereas the spectra of their zinc complexes show 7 nm red shifts of the Soret bands compared to that of ZnTPP. The emission spectra of Zn-1 and Zn-2 are independent of excitation wavelength. From combination of the evidence of absorption and emission spectra it is suggested the existence of intramolecular metal-π interaction in Zn-1 and Zn-2. The results of conformational analysis agreed quite nicely with that of experiments, thus it was further to validate the experimental conclusions.     

A robust microporous zinc porphyrin framework solid

A robust microporous zinc(II) metalloporphyrin framework solid has been synthesized. The proposed structural model developed from X-ray single crystal data has an interpenetrated three-dimensional framework of zinc trans-biscarboxylate tetraarylporphyrins whose carboxylates coordinate the six edges of tetrahedral Zn(4)O(6+) clusters, maintaining a charge-neutral framework. This cubic framework has 74% free volume and 4 x 7 A pores. N(2) adsorption gives a type I isotherm with a surface area of 800 m(2)/g, which is greater than that of a typical zeolite. Experimental evidence indicates that the interpenetrated frameworks of the evacuated solid remain intact and retain a microporous structure. This is a versatile framework system: alteration of the metal in the porphyrin may create a catalytically active solid, and modification of the 10-, 20-substituents of the porphyrin can provide control over both the polarity and the size of the pores.     

Cooperativity in chiroptical sensing with dendritic zinc porphyrins

Zinc porphyrin-appended dendrimers, 12PZn, 18PZn, 24PZn, and 36PZn, containing 12, 18, 24, and 36 zinc porphyrin units, respectively, were synthesized using zinc porphyrin dyad (2PZn) and triad (3PZn) as precursors. Although these dye-functionalized dendrimers all serve as chiroptical sensors for an asymmetric bipyridine (RR- and SS-Py2), the sensing capability is highly dependent on the structure of the dendritic scaffold. 2PZn, which is chiroptically silent toward Py2, turns cooperative and displays a large ICD (induced circular dichroism) response in the visible region when incorporated into 12PZn. Judging from the extents of contribution of each zinc porphyrin unit to the CD amplitudes ([Deltaepsilonmax]), the cooperativity in 24PZn (112 M-1 cm-1) is lower than that in 12PZn (196 M-1 cm-1) and much lower in dendron 4PZn (59 M-1 cm-1). In contrast, 3PZn, which is ICD-active toward Py2, hardly shows such an enhanced cooperativity when incorporated into 18PZn and 36PZn and dendron 6PZn, as well. Absorption spectroscopy suggests some unique conformational characteristics of the zinc porphyrin units in highly cooperative 12PZn.     

Hydrothermal synthesis, structures, and photoluminescent properties of benzenepentacarboxylate bridged networks incorporating zinc(II)-hydroxide clusters or zinc(II)-carboxylate layers

The first coordination compounds of partially or wholly deprotonated benzenepentacarboxylic acid (H5L) were synthesized in the presence or absence of auxiliary 2,2'-bipyridyl (2,2'-bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands, and their crystal structures and photoluminescent properties were characterized. Their formulas are [Zn6(mu3-OH)2(L)2(H2O)6]n (1), [Zn5(mu3-OH)2(HL)2(2,2'-bpy)2]n (2), [Zn2(HL)(phen)2(H2O)2]n (3), and [Zn5(L)2(phen)4(H2O)3]n.2nH2O (4). Both 1 and 2 are three-dimensional (3D) zinc(II)-hydroxide cluster based coordination frameworks. 1 contains distorted chairlike hexanuclear Zn6(mu3-OH)2 cluster units as secondary building blocks. Each Zn6(mu3-OH)2 unit connects six others through the three-connected nodes of L5- ligands into a 3D rigid and condensed coordination network, whereas in 2, each pentanuclear Zn5(mu3-OH)2 unit connects the other six ones through the three-connected [HL]4- nodes into a 3D network in the simple cubic packing mode. 3 has two-dimensional (2D) Zn(II)-carboxylate supramolecular layers constructed from a one-dimensional (1D) coordination chain structure by hydrogen bonds of the water and mu5-[HL]4- bridges, whereas 4 has 2D coordination layers composed of Zn(II) and mu8-L5- bridges. The adjacent coordination assemblies in 3 and 4 are further extended by hydrogen bonds and pi...pi interactions into 3D supramolecular architectures. 1-4 are photoluminescent active materials, and their photofluorescent properties are closely related to their intrinsic structure arrangements.     

PHOTOREDUCTION OF ZINC PORPHIN BY ASCORBIC ACID*

Abstract— Zinc porphin is photoreduced to zinc chlorin through an intermediate dihydroporphin (PH₂) by ascorbic acid in ethanol containing 1% to 10% (v/v) piperidine. Under the same conditions zinc chlorin is more slowly photoreduced to zinc tetrahydroporphin. The reactions leading to chlorin are photosensitized by the product chlorin and so are autocatalytic in red light. Quantum yields for these reactions range up to 0.05.Other aliphatic amines catalyze these reactions, but at rates peculiar to the amine. The immediate product of reduction of zinc porphin, PH₂, is distinguished by an intense band at 437 nm; it reverts to porphin in the dark in the presence of oxygen or dehydroascorbic acid. Its conversion to chlorin is effected by light absorbed by porphin or chlorin, but not by light absorbed by PH₂ itself. A suggested structure for PH₂, compatible with the observed reactions, has added hydrogens on one bridge carbon and one β-pyrrole carbon. The possibility of an analogy between these reactions and the biochemical conversion of protochlorophyll to chlorophyll is discussed.