Magnetic field effects upon photochemistry of bichromophoric chain molecules containing nitroaromatic and arylamino moieties: Elucidation of reaction mechanism and control of reaction yields

Abstract

The photochemistry of bichromophoric species containing nitroaromatic and arylamino moieties has been studied in the presence and absence of an external magnetic field. Photolysis products are an unsubstituted arylamine, a nitrosoaromatic species (Product 1), and a nitroaromatic compound (Product 2). On application of the magnetic field, the formation yield for Product 1 decreases and that for Product 2 correspondingly increases, whereas the consumption of the starting material and the release of the unsubstituted arylamine are independent of the magnetic field. Analysis of the magnetic field effects shows that the hyperfine coupling mechanism predominates and that the photoreaction takes place in the triplet manifold of the nitroaromatic moiety. Application of the magnetic field may cause an appreciable change in the relative yield of cage and escape products, i.e., the branching ratio of competitive processes.