Properties of excited singlet states of N-arylurethanes : Photo-fries reactions,fluorescence, quenching and sensitization

The deactivation of the first excited S(ππ^*) states of N-arylurethanes (produced upon irradiation with UV light) by emission (fluorescence), chemical reaction (photo-Fries rearrangement and fragmentation), energy transfer to quenchers, and radiationless transitions to ground and triplet states is investigated. Arylurethanes exhibit fluorescence (λ_f ≈ 295–350 nm, φ_f ≈ 10^?2, τ_f ≈ 1–6 ns) and phosphorescencs (λ_p ≈ 370–410 nm). The variations of the quantum yields of the fluorescence and of the photo-Fries rearrangement of N-arylurethanes by substituents and solvents are essentially due to variations of the rate constants for the radiationless processes. Fluorescence and photo-Fries reactions can be quenched by diffusion-controlled energy transfer to aliphatic ketones. Quenching is accompanied by sensitization of the ketone fluorescence. The urethane fluorescence and photo reactions may be sensitized by aromatic hydrocarbons. The results of all the quenching and sensitization experiments demonstrate that the photo-Fries reactions of N-arylurethanes proceed via the first excited singlet states of the urethanes.