College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2023-05-04 20:12:29
Major
Biochemistry
Honors Course
3150:497, Honors Research Project
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2021
Abstract
The photochemical capabilities of self-assembling porphyrins holds the potential to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Porphyrins have the ability to absorb solar energy to excite its electrons within the highly conjugated π system of the porphyrin ring. The excited electron can then be donated thus creating a charge separated state between the porphyrin donor and the electron acceptor. With self-assembly of porphyrin monomers into a supramolecular structure, this charge separated state can be emphasized and prolonged so the energy potential generated can be harvested. Here, the synthesis of porphyrin derivatives substituted with biologically found molecules is described. The lysine and guanidinium substituents were chosen for their potential to enable self-assembly between porphyrin monomers. The synthetic processes for both proposed porphyrin structures are still on-going.
Research Sponsor
David Modarelli, PhD
First Reader
Leah Shriver, PhD
Second Reader
Zhexi Li, PhD
Honors Faculty Advisor
Adam Smith, PhD
Recommended Citation
Nguyen, Alex, "Synthesis of Novel Porphyrin Derived Molecules for the Study of Self Assembly and Photophysical Properties" (2021). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1392.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1392