Zinc-porphyrin sensitized reduction of simple and functional quinones in vesicle systems

Changes of the surfactant vesicle sizes and of the efficiency of the photoredox reaction between various solubilized Zn porphyrins and duroquinones upon incorporation of the chromophore or upon addition of salts have been examined by quasi-elastic light scattering and laser photolysis techniques. The yields of porphyrin cation and duroqumone anion radicals appear to be independent of the nature of the porphyrin-qumone system. Addition of salts influences both the yield and the ejection of porphyrin cations from the vesicles by screening up the surface charge.