Chemistry of carotenoid neutral radicals.

Proton loss from the carotenoid radical cations (Car(+)) to form neutral radicals (#Car) was investigated by numerous electrochemical, EPR, ENDOR and DFT studies described herein. The radical cation and neutral radicals were formed in solution electrochemically and stabilized on solid silica-alumina and MCM-41 matrices. Carotenoid neutral radicals were recently identified in Arabidopsis thaliana plant and photosystem II samples. Deprotonation at the terminal ends of a zeaxanthin radical cation could provide a secondary photoprotection pathway which involves quenching excited state chlorophyll by the long-lived zeaxanthin neutral radicals formed.