Charge-transfer complexes of plastoquinone and alpha-tocopherol quinone in vitro.

It has been found that plastoquinone (PQ) and alpha-tocopherol quinone (alpha-TQ) can form quinhydrone-type charge-transfer complexes on PQH2 and alpha-TQH2, respectively, both in the crystalline state and in solutions of organic solvents. The charge-transfer spectra of PQ/PQH2 mixtures in hydrophobic solvents showed two bands: one at 349-358 nm, the other at 430-440 nm, one charge-transfer band at 351-355 nm occurring in water-miscible solvents. The intensity ratio of these two bands varied with changing PQ/PQH2 ratio. The charge-transfer spectra of alpha-TQ/alpha-TQH2 mixtures in all solvents investigated showed one peak at 361-367 nm and a broad shoulder within the range 400-540 nm, whose shape varied depending on the solvent used. In the infrared spectrum of PQ and alpha-TQ (1700-1600 cm(-1)) splitting of the carbonyl band occurred and was caused by the presence of two peak. In the spectra of quinhydrones the splitting disappeared, this being brought about by the appearance of a new peak at the position of splitting, which originated from the complexed quinones. The possibility of the formation of such complexes in thylakoid membranes is discussed.