Synthetic chloroplasts

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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.

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