Hypericin, Hypocrellin, and Model Compounds: Primary Photoprocesses of Light-Induced Antiviral Agents

Abstract

The excited-state photophysics of the light-induced antiviral agents hypericin and hypocrellin are compared with those of the hexa- and tetramethoxy analogues of hypericin. The results are consistent with the interpretation of the primary photoprocess in hypericin and hypocrellin as that of excited-state intramolecular proton or atom transfer.