Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Protoporphyrin IX
open-in-new
<p>Protoporphyrin IX is an <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">organic compound</a>, classified as a <a href="/facts/Porphyrin/lKNtdXp1">porphyrin</a>, that plays an important role in living organisms as a precursor to other critical compounds like <a href="/facts/Heme/fRhyJAAb">heme</a> (<a href="/facts/Hemoglobin/RsD1MzYA">hemoglobin</a>) and <a href="/facts/Chlorophyll/1Sb0NyyM">chlorophyll</a>. It is a deeply colored solid that is not soluble in water. The name is often abbreviated as PPIX. </p><p>Protoporphyrin IX contains a <a href="/facts/Porphine/BhWWTTfC">porphine</a> core, a <a href="/facts/Tetrapyrrole/5CkWoVDS">tetrapyrrole</a> <a href="/facts/Macrocycle/4GPougjf">macrocycle</a> with a marked <a href="/facts/Aromatic_(chemistry)/wK0DzRY6">aromatic</a> character. Protoporphyrin IX is essentially planar, except for the N-H bonds that are bent out of the plane of the rings, in opposite (trans) directions. </p>