Catalytic photoinduced electron transport across a lipid bilayer mediated by a membrane-soluble electron relay

Unidirectional photocatalytic electron transfer from a hydrophilic electron donor encapsulated in the interior of a liposome, to a hydrophilic electron acceptor on the other side of the membrane, has been achieved using the simple membrane-soluble electron relay 1-methoxy-N-methylphenazinium (MMP+). The total amount of photoproduct (>140 nmol) exceeds the number of moles of MMP+ present (125 nmol), thus showing that the transport of electrons is catalytic.