Abstract Pterins are widespread in biological systems and possess photosensitizing activities. In the present study, the photosensitization mechanism of acid form of pterin (PTA) and basic form of pterin (PTB) is investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. The reactive oxygen species-photogenerating pathways of the lowest triplet excited (T1) state PTA and PTB are proposed as follows. Through direct energy transfer, both T1 state PTA and PTB can photogenerate 1O2. Two possible O2 .−-generating pathways are proposed according to the electronic parameters of PTA and PTB: i) direct electron transfer from T1 state PTA and PTB to 3O2 and the electron transfer reaction is more favorable energetically for PTB in comparison with PTA; and ii) electron transfer from anion radical of PTA and PTB to 3O2.
Direct Electron Transfer Reaction of d-Gluconate 2-Dehydrogenase Adsorbed on Bare and Thiol-modified Gold Electrodes