Dimerization of synthetic zinc aminochlorins in non-polar organic solvents.

UV-visible spectra of synthetic zinc aminochlorins were measured in 99:1 (v/v) cyclohexane-dichloromethane solution. The compounds formed anti-parallel dimers with mutual coordination of the central zinc in one molecule to the amino nitrogen in the other (Qy band red-shift of about 500 cm(-1)). Such a dimer arrangement appears to be too stable to form far-red (> 1500 cm(-1)) shifted oligomers which have been observed with bacteriochlorophylls-c (possessing a hydroxy group and a central magnesium) and with their model compounds (with a hydroxy group and a central zinc) in non-polar organic solvents.