Synthetic chloroplasts

Abstract

The principal function of the chloroplast is to capture solar quanta and to store them in some stable form. We are in the process of trying to construct a totally synthetic system that would simulate some of the reactions of the two photosystems which occur in natural chloroplasts.

Toward this end, we have demonstrated a number of the reactions required in separated systems. We have shown that it is possible to transfer electrons across an insulating membrane barrier with a surfactant photosensitizer. Others have shown, and we have confirmed, that it is possible to collect the two electrons necessary for the generation of molecular hydrogen on a heterogeneous catalyst suspended in water and similarly to collect the four holes on another heterogeneous catalyst suspended in water for the generation of molecular oxygen. A synthesis of some of these molecular catalysts for both these purposes is underway, with some partial success.

When these partial reactions are assembled in a system, the resulting “synthetic chloroplasts” will not resemble the natural entity in detailed construction as they will contain no protein.