[Chlorophyll-photosensitized inorganic phosphate uptake in water-alcohol transitions]

Illumination of chlorophylls a + b in water -- alcohol solutions containing inorganic phosphate results in a decrease of phosphate down to 11 mkmoles in 10 min per 3 ml of the reaction mixture. This process occurs in the air at H2O concentration in alcohol of 13-27% (pH 7.2-8.0). Adenosine phosphates when added to the reaction mixture are not subjected to phosphorylation, presumably due to their low solubility in alcohol solutions with a small content of water. No pyrophosphate formation in the reaction mixture was observed. It was assumed that the end product of the reaction is ethylphosphate formed by ethyl alcohol interaction with methaphosphathione monomer via chlorophyll-photosensitized electron transfer from orthophosphate ions.