Compatible Injection and Detection Systems for Studying the Kinetics of Excess Electron Transfer

Abstract

[reaction: see text] A design for fast kinetic studies of electron transfer in radical anions is reported. alpha-Hydroxy radicals formed by 355 nm laser flash photolysis of alpha-phenacyl alcohols are deprotonated under basic conditions to give ketyl radical anions that serve as electron injectors in inter- and intramolecular electron-transfer reactions. The 2,2-diphenylcyclopropyl group serves as a reporter. When an electron is injected and transferred such that spin character is adjacent to the reporter, cyclopropyl ring opening gives a readily detected diphenylalkyl radical.