Complexes of metal phthalocyanines with globin as the models of heme proteins

The reaction between iron and cobalt tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines and globin results in the formation of the green complexes, as has been proved by difference spectroscopy. Spectrophotometric titration data indicate the formation of those complexes at the molar ratio 1:1. The complexes of ferrous, ferric and cobaltous tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines with globin have been isolated from the reaction mixtures by separation on Sephadex G-50 and precipitation of the protein fractions with ammonium sulfate. The visible spectra of these complexes are characterised by the main intensive peak at 641 nm, 678 nm, and 675 nm for ferric, ferrous and cobaltous derivatives, respectively. The new globin complexes have the property of reversible combination with oxygen and coordination with cyanide ions. It is evidence from the results of the spectrophotometric titrations of hemoglobin and methemoglobin with cobaltous tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine that iron protoporphyrins are displaced by this cobalt derivative; this suggests that phthalocyanine and porphyrin are bonded in a similar manner.