5-Bromo- and 3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxy-N-phenylbenzamides — inhibitors of photosynthesis

5-Bromo-(Br-PBA) and 3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxy-N-phenylbenzamides (Br2-PBA) inhibited photosynthetic electron transport (PET) and their inhibitory efficiency depended on the compound lipophilicity as well as on the electronic properties of the R substituent in the N-phenyl moiety. Br-PBA showed higher PET inhibiting activity than Br2-PBA with the same R substituent. The most effective inhibitors in the tested series were the derivatives with R = 3-F (Br-PBA; IC50 = 4.3 μmol dm−3) and R = 3-Cl (Br2-PBA; IC50 = 8.6 μmol dm−3). Bilinear dependence of the PET inhibiting activity on the lipophilicity of the compounds as well as on the Hammett constant, σ, of the R substituent was observed for both investigated series. Using EPR spectroscopy it was found that the site of action of the tested compounds in the photosynthetic apparatus is situated on the donor side of PS 2, in D· or in the Z·/D· intermediates. Interaction of the studied compounds with chlorophyll a and aromatic amino acids present in the pigment-protein complexes mainly in photosystem 2 was documented by fluorescence spectroscopy.