Efficient Photoinduced Orthogonal Energy and Electron Transfer Reactions via Phospholipid Membrane-Bound Donors and Acceptors

Abstract

A three component, liposome-bound photochemical molecular device (PMD) consisting of energy and electron transfer reactions is described. Bilayer membrane surface-associated dyes, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(trimethylammonio)-phenyl]-21H,2 3H-porphine tetra-p-tosylate salt and N,N[prime]-bis[(3-trimethylammonio)propyl]thiadicarbocya nine tribromide, are the energy donor and acceptor, respectively, in a blue light stimulated energy transfer reaction along the vesicle surface. The electronically excited cyanine is quenched by electron transfer from the phospholipid membrane bound triphenylbenzyl borate anion, which is located in the lipid bilayer interior. The PMD exhibits sequential reactions following electronic excitation with the novel feature that the steps proceed with orthogonal orientation: energy transfer occurs parallel to the membrane surface, and electron transfer occurs perpendicular to the surface. Photobleaching and fluorescence quenching experiments verify the transfer reactions, and Stern-Volmer analysis was used to estimate the reaction rate constants. At the highest concentrations examined of energy and electron acceptor ca. 60% of the photoexcited porphyrins were quenched by energy transfer to the cyanine. 56 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.