Photophysical processes in models of reaction centers of photosynthesis

Simulation modeling of photosynthesis remains an urgent problem for two reasons. First, the cognitive value of this approach has not been exhausted yet. Second, this should lead to practical use of solar energy with the yield of oxygen, organic products, and nitrogen compounds. At present it has been found that photochemical stages of photosynthesis occur in reaction centers. A greater part of chlorophyll or bacteriochlorophyll molecules function as a light-harvesting antenna. The energy of an absorbed quantum migrates over the antenna and reaches the reaction centers, where the charge is separated and a chemical potential is generated. These are followed by dark stages of photosynthesis. The authors have investigated the photophysical properties of chlorophyll-like molecules and have approached the problem of intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET) in studies of nitroporphyrins.