Porphyrin pigments chlorophyll

Porphyrins and chlorophylls are the most widespread natural pigments. They are associated with the energy-converting processes of respiration and photosynthesis in living organisms, and the synthesis of specific porphyrin derivatives is often motivated by the desire to perform similar processes in the test tube. The structurally and biosynthetically related corrins (e.g. vitamin B,j) catalyze alkylations and rearrangements of carbon skeletons via organocobalt intermediates. The biosyntheses of these chromophores are also of topical interest. 

One of the important properties of porphyrins is that they complex with divalent metals, the pyrrole nitrogens being ideally spaced to allow this. Of vital importance to life processes are the porphyrin derivatives chlorophyll and haem. Chlorophyll (actually a mixture of structurally similar porphyrins chlorophyll a is shown) contains magnesium, and is, of course, the light-gathering pigment in plants that permits photosynthesis. 

The beautiful colors associated with porphyrin and chlorophyll systems are manifest in their characteristic electronic absorption spectra. The most intense band in the spectra, around 400 nm, is known as the Soret band it is intrinsic to the large macrocyclic conjugated pathway and has molar extinction coefficients usually between 150 000-400 000. This extinction value is lower in chlorins than in porphyrins, and the band is absent in porphyrinogens (6) and ring-opened bile pigments. 

A major metabolic fate of glycine is the biosynthesis of tetrapyrroles, compounds which contain four linked pyrrole rings. Four classes of these compounds include 1) Heme (an iron porphyrin) 2) Chlorophylls 3) Phycobilins (photosynthetic pigments of algae and 4) Cobalamins (Vitamin B12 and derivatives). 

Hundreds of applications have been mentioned in the Zweig (1968) review acids, alkaloids, amino acids, antibiotics, antioxidants, food and feed additives, bases and amines, bile acids, carbonyls, dyes, enzymes, lipids, hydrocarbons, hormones, indoles, natural products, peptides, proteins, pesticides, plant growth regulators, pharmaceutical products, phenols, pigments (chlorophylls, xanthophylls, porphyrins, melanin, pterins, pteridines, anthocyanins, ilavonoids, etc.), polymers, purine and pyrimidine derivatives, quinones, RNA, DNA, organic sulfur compounds, steroids, sugars, toxins, vitamins, inorganic ions, and others. 

Figure 2 Structures of some naturally occurring porphyrin pigments. (a) Heme b, (b) chlorophyll a, and (c) the macrocyclic core of vitamin B12.

Kirchner (1978) has discussed the utility of thin-layer chromatography for the following natural pigments chlorophylls, carotenoids, xanthophylls, flavonoids, anthocyanins, porphyrins, and bile. From the standpoint of practical TLC, the most important of these pigments are the chlorophylls, carotenoids, xanthophylls, and anthocyanins, and it is these pigments that are considered further in this chapter. For practical TLC of the flavonoids, consult Harbome (1984, 1992). For information on the TLC of porphyrins, see Doss (1972), Dolphin (1983), and Jacob (1992). Jain (1996) has provided useful information on the examination of porphyrins (in studies on clinical porphyrias) by TLC in clinical chemistry. 

Copper group Polycyclic pigments group Porphyrins group Chlorophyll Hemoglobin... 

Marehlewski (1924) has shown that bilipurpurin, or cholehematin, a pigment present in the bile and biliary concretions of ruminants, is identical with phylloerythrin, a porphyrin pigment which he obtained by the biological degradation of chlorophyll or the acid hydrolysis of chlorophyllides. His discovery of phylloerythrin thus leads to the conclusion that the chlorophyll molecule may enter into the metabolic processes of herbivorous animals. 

Green coloration, present in many vegetable oils, poses a particular problem in oil extracted from immature or damaged soybeans. Chlorophyll is the compound responsible for this defect. StmcturaHy, chlorophyll is composed of a porphyrin ring system, in which magnesium is the central metal atom, and a phytol side chain which imparts a hydrophobic character to the stmcture. Conventional bleaching clays are not as effective for removal of chlorophylls as for red pigments, and specialized acid-activated adsorbents or carbon are required. 

Chlorophyll a, the green photosynthesis pigment, is the prototype of the chlorin (2,3-dihydro-porphyrin) class of products. It was first isolated by Willstatter1 at the turn of the century. The common structural unit in this class is the chlorin framework named after chlorophyll. The chromophore with a partially saturated pyrrole ring, which is formally derived from the completely unsaturated porphyrin, is less symmetric than the latter and systematically named according to IUPAC nomenclature as 2,3-dihydroporphyrin. 

Chapter 13 is devoted to the PLC of namral pigments, which encompass fla-vonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, chlorophylls and chlorophyll derivatives, porphyrins, quinones, and betalains. Chromatography of pigments is especially difficult because many are photo- and air-sensitive and can degrade rapidly unless precautions are taken. 

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