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

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