Porphyrin self-assembled monolayers and photodynamic oxidation of tryptophan

The zinc and magnesium metalated derivatives of 5,5'-[12,12'-di(thiododecyloxy)-4,4'-phenyl)]-10,10',15,15',20,20'-hexakis(3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexakisdecyloxyphenyl)diporphyrin, 1b and 1c, have been synthesised and deposited to form self-assembled monolayer (SAM) films on the surface of gold-coated glass substrates. The SAM films have been characterized by RAIR spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The potential for the porphyrin films to catalyze the oxidation of tryptophan within human serum albumin upon irradiation with white light has been demonstrated and attributed to the porphyrins acting as photosensitizers of oxygen to form oxidizing species