On the homo- and heteroassociation of hypericin

Summary Hypericin exhibits rather complicated homo- and heteroassociation behavior. Whereas in common polar solvents hypericin dissolves monomolecularly up to concentrations of 10^–3 mol/l, the presence of water in these solvents leads to homoassociation. As derived by spectroscopic measurements, these homoassociates exhibit a stacking pattern similar to the one observed for the crystalline material. Tetrahydrofuran seems to be an exception, as it is the only solvent which results in 1,6-dioxo tautomer formation. Heteroassociation of hypericin involves two distinct types of behavior. In the majority of cases, hypericin forms homoassociates which then heteroassociate with the co-solvate to yield stabilized solutions of these homoassociates. Only with human serum albumin a specific heteroassociate is formed. By means of competition experiments it could be established that hypericin is binding to the active site of the IIIA subdomain of the protein.Dedicated to Prof. Dr.Karl Schlöpl on the occasion of his 70th birthday