MICELLAR FIBERS MADE OF PORPHYRIN AND METALLOPORPHYRIN AMIDES

New amphiphilic porphyrins, the bis-D-gluconamide of a derivatized mes oporphyrin and its zinc and copper complexes, were prepared, In aqueou s media they aggregate to give a colloidal solution of long fibers wit h a bimolecular diameter, They have been characterized by electron mic roscopy. The strong excitonic interaction of the porphyrins is obvious in the absorption and circular dichroism spectra, The free base porph yrin forms lateral aggregates similar to those of other porphyrins (1, 2). Flash photolysis indicates low-yield charge separation processes, In the metalloporphyrin fibers the porphyrins are stacked and helicall y twisted; the measured amplitude of light-induced absorption changes is lower by a factor of ten in the case of the zinc porphyrin fiber co mpared with the free bases.