Incorporation of anthracene into zeolites: confinement effect on the recombination rate of photoinduced radical cation-electron pair.

FT-Raman spectrometry in combination with diffuse reflectance UV/Vis absorption (DRUVv) and fluorescence emission indicate that complete anthracene (ANT) sorption as intact molecules takes place over 6 months in the medium pores of non-Br?nsted acidic M(n)ZSM-5 zeolites (n=0.0, 3.4, 6.6; M=Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) with 1 ANT per unit cell loading. The combined effect of confinement and electrostatic field induced by bulky cations (Rb+, Cs+) leads to specific changes in the occluded ANT Raman spectra after very long organization periods (one year). The laser photolysis (266 nm, 355 nm) of ANT@M(n)ZSM-5 equilibrated samples generates long-lived charge separated species in aluminum rich zeolites (n=3.4, 6.6). The very long-lived radical pairs are characterized by conventional DRUVv and CW-EPR spectroscopy. The direct charge recombination rates of ANT.+-electron pairs are dispersive, extending over a broad range of timescales. The kinetic constant values are found to increase dramatically with the aluminum content and increase markedly with M+ according to the following order Na+ < K+ < Rb+ < Cs+. The small reorganization energy (lambda) of ZSM-5 zeolite pores coupled with large negative free energy changes (-DeltaG degrees ) between the ground state ANT oxidation potential and Fermi level of aluminum rich M(n)ZSM-5 explain the observed trends of the ANT.+@M(n)ZSM-5.- charge recombination rates.