The C–O bond dissociation of naphthoxymethyl compounds in the higher triplet excited state using two-color two-laser flash photolysis

Abstract

C–O bond dissociation of naphthoxymethyl compounds NpO–CH 2R (Np = α- or β-naphthalene moiety, R = Ph or Me) in the higher triplet excited state (T n , n ⩾ 2) was investigated using two-color two-laser flash photolysis. The C–O bond dissociation was found to occur with quantum yields ( Φ) of 0.06 and 0.07 for α- and β-NpO–CH 2Ph(T n ), respectively. With the use of reported data on C–O bond cleavage in NpCH 2–OPh(T n ) and NpCH 2–OMe(T n ), it was concluded that Φ is related to the T n -state lifetime and the energy barrier between the T n state and dissociative potential surfaces.