Transient Photochemistry of Nitrobenzene and Nitronaphthalenes

Abstract

Conventional flash photolysis of nitrobenzene and 1- and 2- nitronaphthalenes produces their respective radical anions in deaerated triethylamine-acetonitrile solutions. In deaerated tri- ethylamine-nonpolar media, instead of the radical anion, their respective protonated neutral radicals are formed. 1-Nitronaphtha- lene yields in deaerated pure alcohols the neutral radical and the radical anion in deaerated alkaline alcohols. The transient absorp- tion spectra of these species are presented. These transients, with the exception of neutral 1-nitronaphthalene radical in pure alcohols (where it decays via first order kinetics), decay via second order kinetics. The measured rate constants for their decay are given. Possible mechanism for the formation of these transient species is discussed.