Pulse Radiolysis Studies. X. Electron Transfer Reactions of Aromatic Molecules in Solution

Abstract

Absolute rate constants have been determined by the pulse radiolysis method for the electron transfer reaction from a series of aromatic anion radicals in isopropanol solution to a variety of different aromatic molecules: arenea−+areneb=arenea+areneb−.Nine donor—acceptor pairs were investigated in which the donor anion was diphenylide, p-terphenylide, m-terphenylide, and o-terphenylide, and the acceptor molecule was naphthalene, phenanthrene, p-terphenyl, pyrene, and anthracene. Several, but not all, of the reactions appear to be diffusion controlled with electron transfer rate constants ranging from 2.6×108 to 6.4×109 M−1·sec−1 at 25°C.