Dimer and polymers in solutions of chlorophyll a

Summary

Chlorophyll a in n-hexane solution exhibits the main red absorption band at 662 nm, an absorption shoulder at 680 nm and the far red absorption band at 745 nm. These are attributable to the absorptions in monomer, dimer and high polymers (or microcrystals), respectively. The thermal behaviours of absorption spectra give us some useful informations about the dissociation processes of high polymers into monomers, the molecular arrangement in high polymers and the conformation change by heat.