Collective electronic absorption spectral data of naturally occurring (bacterio)chlorophylls

We present complied data on the optical and structural properties of chlorophyllous pigments that originate from living organisms. We surveyed photosynthetically active chlorophylls (Chls) and bacteriochlorophylls (BChls), including Chl a , Chl b , Chl c , Chl d , Chl f , BChl a , BChl b , BChl c , BChl d , BChl e , BChl f , and BChl g . Some biosynthetic intermediates of (B)Chls a and several stereochemically pure homologs of BChls c , d , e , and f were isolated, and natural minor components, the prime forms of (B)Chls and metal-free (bacterio)pheophytins were prepared. Their electronic absorption spectra and data in diluted diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran solutions are collectively measured under identical conditions. In addition, the extinction coefficients of some (B)Chls were exactly determined using evaluation of their magnesium contents by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Based on these data, the effects of their molecular structures composed of core cyclic tetrapyrroles with different π-conjugation and various peripheral substituents along x- and y-axes on absorption spectra are discussed, and light-harvesting abilities in photosynthetic antennas containing these pigments are estimated. Chls b and c are known to be accessory pigments of Chl a in oxygenic phototrophs, while Chl a is proved to be the accessory pigment of BChl a in a chloracidobacterium. In addition, the data support that Prochlorococcus species producing divinyl-Chl a effectively thrive in a blue light-enriched, deep marine zone.