Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Utilizing the Ethylene-releasing Compound, 2-Chloroethylphosphonic Acid, as a Tool to Study Ethylene Response in Bacteria
Published on: November 10, 2016
Plant hormone ethylene is a Norrish type II product from enzymically generated triplet 1-butanal
F D Knudsen1, A Campa, H A Stefani
1Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract:
The peroxidase-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of a linear aldehyde, leading to the next lower homologue in the triplet state, is accompanied by Norrish type II product ethylene when the substrate is pentanal. This system appears to provide an example of "photobiochemistry without light" because ethylene is a plant hormone and is formed in lipid peroxidation when the recurrent oxidation of linear aldehydes occurs.
Related Concept Videos
Plant Hormones
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Cell Signaling in Plants

