Synthesis of two cyanine dyes as potential artificial antennas for the bacterial photosynthetic Reaction Center

Particular attention has been recently devoted to the development of biohybrid photoconverters based on the bacterial Reaction Center (RC) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. This highly efficient photoenzyme has a conversion yield close to unit that makes it extremely appealing in the field of artificial photosynthesis. Isolated RCs suffer of a limited absorption cross-section in the visible spectral region that limits their applicative employment. Here we report the synthesis of two heptamethine cyanine molecules, whose photophysical properties make them potentially suitable as light harvesting antennas for the RC.