Application of californium-252 plasma desorption mass spectroscopy to chlorophyll studies

Abstract

Applications of ²⁵²Cf-PDMS to a variety of chlorophyll problems are described. This form of heavy particle induced desorption mass spectroscopy is highly suitable to the mass measurement of nonvolatile, thermally unstable chlorophylIs and chlorophyll derivatives. ²⁵²Cf-PDMS has been applied to the characterization of the products of the classical chlorophyll allomerization reaction, and to the synthesis of linked chlorophyll special pairs designed to mimic the in vivo P700 photoreaction center. The applications of ²⁵²Cf-PDMS to the characterization of chlorophyll aggregates and to the examination of the redox properties of the chlorophylls are also described.