Interaction of meso-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphine with chitosan in aqueous solutions

Interaction of meso-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS4) with chitosan (Mr ∼ 400 kDa, N-acetyls ∼20 mol.%) was studied in aqueous solutions. UV–vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic titration of 10 μmol l−1 TPPS4 with chitosan demonstrated that an addition of the polysaccharide at appropriate concentrations and pH values induce and support self-aggregation of the macrocycles. The mode of aggregation was strongly dependent on pH: stacking (H-type) aggregates predominated at weak acidic conditions (pH 4.8–6.8) and tilted (J-type) aggregates at pH 2.5. At the intermediate pH value (3.6) both types of TPPS4 aggregates were detected. High amount of chitosan (>0.05 mmol l−1 of GlcN) disrupts H-aggregates forming monomeric porphyrin–chitosan complexes (pH 3.6–6.8), while J-aggregates (pH 2.5) are stable even at very high chitosan concentrations. CD titration experiments confirmed the formation of optically active species of TPPS4 in the presence of chitosan. The complex nature of CD bands assigned to both types of porphyrin aggregates indicated the occurrence of several chiral macrocyclic species dependently on pH value and chitosan concentration.