INTERACTION OF EGG LECITHIN WITH PI-ELECTRON ACCEPTORS

Spectral studies show that egg lecithin forms 1:1 molecular complexes with different pi-electron acceptors such as picric acid, tetracyanoethylene and chloranil in chloroform. In water the pi-electron acceptors are already complexed and the spectra of these pi-electron acceptors are not further perturbed in the presence of egg lecithin. Thermodynamic and spectrophotometric properties of the complexes show that the acceptor strengths of the pi-electron acceptors studied are in the order, picric acid>tetracyanoethylene>chloranil. The exact site of interaction of electron acceptor in egg lecithin has also been identified.