An ab initio conformational study on 2,3-dihydrobilin-1,19(21H,24H)-dione, a model compound for open-chain tetrapyrroles

The molecule 2,3-dihydrobilin-1,19(21H,24H)-dione (DHB) was studied as a model of the fully conjugated linear open-chain tetrapyrroles phycocyanobilin (PCB), phycoerythrobilin (PEB) and phytochrome (PC) as well as biliverdin (BV) and bilirubin (BR). The rotations around the single bonds of the exocyclic methine bridges were investigated for all possible cis and trans, E and Z isomers of DHB. The geometries and energies of conformers were …