STUDIES OF CHLOROBIUM CHLOROPHYLLS: IV. PREPARATIVE LIQUID–LIQUID PARTITION CHROMATOGRAPHY OF PORPHYRINS AND CHLOROPHYLL DERIVATIVES AND ITS USE TO RESOLVE CHLOROBIUM PHEOPHORBIDE (650) INTO SIX COMPONENTS

Abstract

Various porphyrins and chlorophyll derivatives have been purified on a preparative scale by distribution between hydrochloric acid and ether on Celite columns. By this technique crude Chlorobium pheophorbide (650) was resolved into six components, which possessed almost identical visible absorption spectra, but slightly different acid distribution numbers. Chromic acid oxidation and subsequent gas–liquid partition chromatography of the neutral fractions indicate the presence of more than one Chlorobium chlorophyll (650) in the original pigment preparation.