Electrochemistry of the Biliverdin-Bilirubin System in N,N-Dimethylformamide

The electrochemical behaviour of biliverdin and bilirubin on platinum electrodes in N, N-dimethylformamide has been investigated by means of voltammetric as well as controlled-potential electrolysis techniques. Bilirubin can be oxidized to biliverdin and the latter, in turn, to further oxidation products; conversely, biliverdin can be reduced to bilirubin, and the latter to further reduction products: however, the potential for the anodic oxidation of bilirubin to biliverdin and that for the cathodic reduction of biliverdin to bilirubin are about 1.6 V apart from each other. The reduction of biliverdin to bilirubin is shown to be amenable to preparative electrochemistry.