Pulse radiolysis study of electrons in frozen alkaline solutions

The decay kinetics of e _t ^– optical absorption has been analyzed for 10 M frozen alkaline solutions of Na⁺, K⁺ and Rb⁺ cations. Samples were irradiated with 8 MeV electron pulses at temperatures in the range 92 to 160 K. The change of absorption with time depends on wavelength, temperature and cation used. To interprete the influence of cations and temperature on behaviour of electrons in the system examined a first-order kinetics with time dependent rate constant k(t)=B·t^–1 was used. The dependence of parameters and B on the kind of cation and irradiation conditions is discussed.     

Reactions of radicals with hydrolyzed Bi(III) ions: a pulse radiolysis study

Radiolytic reduction of BiOClO4 in aqueous solutions leads to the formation of bismuth clusters and larger nanoparticles. The mechanisms of redox reactions of the polycationic Bi(III) species that exist in the solution were investigated with pulse radiolysis. The kinetic and spectral properties of the transients formed by the reaction of these species with the primary radicals from water radiolysis are reported. The single-electron reduction product, Bi9(OH)224+, absorbs at lambdamax = 273 nm, while the OH adduct, Bi9(OH)235+, has a broad absorption spectrum with a maximum at 280 nm and a shoulder at 420 nm. Several rate constants were measured: k (e-aq + Bi9(OH)225+) = 1.2 x 1010 M-1 s-1 and k (OH + Bi9(OH)225+) = 1.5 x 109 M-1 s-1. The reduced species, Bi9(OH)224+ further reacts with (CH3)2COH radicals, but not with CH2C(CH3)2OH radicals from t-butanol, to produce a doubly reduced polynuclear species. A few reactions of the reduction of the Bi salt in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) are also described. In the presence of the polymer, a metal-polymer complex is formed prior to the irradiation, and the reduction reactions are significantly slowed down.     

Reactions of reducing radicals with 2- and 3-nitroanilines in aqueous solutions: a pulse radiolysis study

Reactions of 2- and 3-nitro anilines (2- and 3-NA) with e_aq⁻, H-atoms and one-electron reductants have been studied using pulse radiolysis in aqueous solutions. Reactions of e_aq⁻ were found to be quite fast with both 2-NA and 3-NA resulting in their corresponding semi-reduced species which are reducing in nature. Reduction potentials for 2-NA/2-Na^•′ have been estimated to be approx. −0.56 Vvs. NHE and that for 3-NA/3-NA^•− was found to be between −0.185 V and −0.45 Vvs. NHE. Semi-reduced 2-NA has main absorption peak at 300 nm with a shoulder in the 350 nm region and a broad weak band in the 470–500 nm region, whereas semi-reduced 3-NA possesses an absorption peak at 520 nm. Reducing radicals such as (CH₃)₂ C^•OH and CO₂^•− reacted with 2-NA, producing semi-reduced species, whereas reactions of these radicals with 3-NA produced their corresponding radical-adduct species.     

Reactions of oxidizing radicals with 2- and 3-aminopyridines: a pulse radiolysis study

Reactions of OH radicals and some one-electron oxidants with 2-aminopyridine (2-AmPy) and 3-aminopyridine (3-AmPy) were studied in aqueous solutions using pulse radiolysis technique. The OH adduct of 2-AmPy at pH 9 has an absorption maximum at 360 nm along with a weak absorption band in the visible region and was found to be reactive with oxygen. The rate constant for its reaction with O₂ was determined to be 1.0×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. At pH 4 also, the OH adduct of 2-AmPy has an absorption band at 360 nm. However, there are differences in the absorption at other wavelengths. From the plot of ΔOD vs. pH at 340 nm, the pK_a of the OH adduct was determined to be 6.5. Among the specific oxidants, only SO₄^−√ radicals were able to oxidize 2-AmPy. In the case of 3-aminopyridine (3-AmPy), the transient species formed by OH radical reaction at pH 9 has an absorption maximum at 410 nm with shoulder bands on both the sides. Its absorption spectrum at pH 4 was different indicating the existence of a pK value for the OH adduct. pK_a of 3-AmPy-OH radical adduct species was evaluated to be 5.7. This adduct species was also found to be reactive with oxygen (k=7.6×10⁶ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹). Specific one-electron oxidants like N₃^√, Br₂^−√ C₂^−√ and SO₄^−√ were able to oxidize 3-AmPy indicating that it is easier to oxidize 3-AmPy as compared to 2-AmPy.     

Pulse radiolysis study on one-electron oxidation of 1-naphthylamine-4-sulphonic acid in aqueous solutions

Reactions of 1-naphthylamine-1-sulphonic acid (NASA) with hydroxyl radicals and oneelectron oxidants such as N₃, Br₂ ^- and Cl₂ ^- radicals have been studied at various pHs using pulse radiolysis technique. Rate constants for the reaction of N₃ and Br₂ ^-. radicals with NASA at neutral pH were found to be 5 × 10⁹ and 4 × 10⁸ dm³ mol^-1 s^-1 respectively. These reactions led to the formation of a cation radical (semi-oxidized species). OH radical reaction with NASA (k = 7.2 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^-1 s^-1) at neutral pH gave a mixture of species, namely, a semi-oxidized species as well as an adduct species. Cl₂ ^-. radicals reacted with NASA rather slowly (k = 7 × 10⁷ dm³ mol^-1 s^-1) at pH 1 to give the semioxidised species. However, even at pH 1, OH radical reaction with NASA gave a mixture containing semi-oxidized as well as an adduct species. The OH-adduct species having _max at 340 nm decays at acidic pHs to give semi-oxidized species having _max at 370 nm. Electron adduct of NASA was found to be a strong reducing radical.     

Pulse radiolysis study of the reactivity of metal complexes of DTPA /diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid/ with OH radicals in aqueous solutions

Using the pulse radiolysis competition kinetic technique, OH radical rate constants with 12 metal DTPA complexes were determined in neutral aerated aqueous solutions. They are in the range of /1.3–5.9/×10⁹ dm³ mol^–1s^–1. To a first approximation, the rate constant was found to decrease linearly with an increase in the field strength of the metal ion (q/r²).     

Pulse radiolysis study of reactions of alkyl and alkylperoxy radicals originating from methyl tert-butyl ether in the gas phase

UV spectra and kinetics for the reactions of alkyl and alkylperoxy radicals from methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) were studied in 1 atm of SF₆ by the pulse radiolysis-UV absorption technique. UV spectra for the radical mixtures were quantified from 215 to 340 nm. At 240 nm. σ_R = (2.6 ± 0.4) × 10⁻¹⁸ cm² molecule⁻¹ and σ_RO2 = (4.1 ± 0.6) × 10⁻¹⁸ cm² molecule⁻¹ (base e). The rate constant for the self-reaction of the alkyl radicals is (2.5 ± 1.1) × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. The rate constants for reaction of the alkyl radicals with molecular oxygen and the alkylperoxy radicals with NO and NO₂ are (9.1 ± 1.5) × 10⁻¹³, (4.3 ± 1.6) × 10⁻¹² and (1.2 ± 0.3) × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. The rate constants given above refer to reaction at the tert-butyl side of the molecule.     

Reactions of H atoms and OH radicals with ascorbic acid: A pulse radiolysis Fourier transform ESR study

Using pulse radiolysis, free radicals of ascorbic acid were generated by reactions of the primary radicals H and OH in acidic and basic aqueous solutions. The formation and the decay of several radicals of ascorbic acid were detected by time resolved Fourier transform electron spin resonance within a time interval of 100 ns to 1 ms. The rate constant of addition of H atoms to ascorbic acid (1.3·10⁸ dm³· mol⁻¹·s⁻¹) was directly determined by the change of line width of the low field line of the H atom in the presence of ascorbic acid. The addition of OH radicals to ascorbic acid results in different radical structures, detected by highly resolved Fourier transform ESR spectra.     

Radiolytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous solutions: Pulse and steady state radiolysis study

The radiation induced degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) has been studied by gamma irradiation, while the reactivity and spectral features of the short lived transients formed by reaction with primary transient radicals at different pHs has been investigated by pulse radiolysis technique. In steady state radiolysis a dose of 4.4 k Gy is able to degrade 98% of 1×10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ 4-NP. 4-NP has pK_a at 7.1, above which it is present in the anionic form. At pH 5.2, ^•OH and N₃^• radicals were found to react with 4-NP with rate constants of 4.1×10⁹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 2.8×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. Differences in the absorption spectra of species formed in the reactions of 4-NP with ^•OH and N₃^• radicals suggested that ^•OH radicals add to the aromatic ring of 4-NP along with electron transfer reaction, whereas N₃^• radicals undergo only electron transfer reaction. At pH 9.2, rate constants for the reaction of ^•OH radicals with 4-NP was found to be higher by a factor of 2 compared to that at pH 5.2. This has been assigned to the deprotonation of 4-NP at pH 9.2.     

Moving solvated electrons with light: nonadiabatic mixed quantum/classical molecular dynamics simulations of the relocalization of photoexcited solvated electrons in tetrahydrofuran (THF)

Motivated by recent ultrafast spectroscopic experiments [Martini et al., Science 293, 462 (2001)], which suggest that photoexcited solvated electrons in tetrahydrofuran (THF) can relocalize (that is, return to equilibrium in solvent cavities far from where they started), we performed a series of nonequilibrium, nonadiabatic, mixed quantum/classical molecular dynamics simulations that mimic one-photon excitation of the THF-solvated electron. We find that as photoexcited THF-solvated electrons relax to their ground states either by continuous mixing from the excited state or via nonadiabatic transitions, approximately 30% of them relocalize into cavities that can be over 1 nm away from where they originated, in close agreement with the experiments. A detailed investigation shows that the ability of excited THF-solvated electrons to undergo photoinduced relocalization stems from the existence of preexisting cavity traps that are an intrinsic part of the structure of liquid THF. This explains why solvated electrons can undergo photoinduced relocalization in solvents like THF but not in solvents like water, which lack the preexisting traps necessary to stabilize the excited electron in other places in the fluid. We also find that even when they do not ultimately relocalize, photoexcited solvated electrons in THF temporarily visit other sites in the fluid, explaining why the photoexcitation of THF-solvated electrons is so efficient at promoting recombination with nearby scavengers. Overall, our study shows that the defining characteristic of a liquid that permits the photoassisted relocalization of solvated electrons is the existence of nascent cavities that are attractive to an excess electron; we propose that other such liquids can be found from classical computer simulations or neutron diffraction experiments.     

Pulse radiolysis and fourier transform infrared study of neopentyl peroxy radicals in the gas phase at 297 K

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of the neopentyl peroxy radical (CH₃)₃CCH₂O₂, and the kinetics and products of its self reaction have been studied in the gas phase at 298 K. Absorption cross sections were quantified over the wavelength range 230–290 nm. The measured cross section at 250 nm was; Errors represent statistical (2σ) together with our estimate of potential systematic errors(15%). The kinetics of the decay of the UV absorption following the generation of the neopentyl peroxy radicals was complicated by the rapid decomposition of the (CH₃)₃CCH₂O radicals formed in channel (4a). By measuring the yield of t-butyl peroxy radicals, the branching ratio k_4a/(k_4a + k_4b) was determined to be 0.39 ± 0.03. The rate constant for the self reaction of neopentyl peroxy radicals was k₄ = (1.07 ± 0.22) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Quoted errors represent 2σ. These results are discussed with respect to the available literature data. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reactions of cobalt(III) complexes with free radicals derived from thymine

The nature of interaction of Co(III) complexes such as Co(III)EDTA and Co(III)NTA with transient adducts of thymine such as TOH^˙, T^˙?, and TH^˙ formed in the gamma radiolysis of thymine were studied. The study shows that TOH radicals do not undergo electron transfer reaction with Co(III) complexes whence no radiosensitization of thymine by Co(III) complexes was observed. Electron transfer however, takes place from T^˙? and TH^˙ to Co(III) complexes. A plausible mechanism of radiolysis of thymine in presence of Co(III) complexes is discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reactions of halogenated organic peroxyl radicals with various purine derivatives,tyrosine, and thymine: A pulse radiolysis study

Absolute rate constants for the one electron oxidation of guanine, guanosine, uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine, tyrosine, and thymine by various halogenated peroxyl radicals in aqueous solutions have been determined using the technique of pulse radiolysis. Roughly, linear correlations have been observed between the logarithm of these rate constants and Taft's inductive parameter (σ*) for the radicals. However, the rate constants for the radical CBr₃O are slightly higher than those for CCl₃O for most of these compounds. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mechanism of heminal recombination of ketyl and aminyl radicals in solid poly(methyl methacrylate)

The mechanism of formation and recombination of radical pairs upon photoreduction of benzophenone by diphenylamine in solid poly(methyl methacrylate) has been studied. By analyzing the concentration dependences of the yield of recombination products (triarylmethane dye or triarylcarbinol), it has been found that the reaction occurs only in relatively large local sites with an effective radius of ～1.4 nm. In contrast, the quenching of ketone phosphorescence by amine, resulting in the generation of primary radical pairs, is carried out in nearly every molecular site with an approximate radius of 1.0 nm containing the initial reagents. In films prepared from chlorinated solvents, the degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate) accompanied by the formation of end macroradicals and dehydrochlorination are important side processes. These processes are mainly responsible for significant long-term photochemical posteffect. The absence of marked magnetic effects indicates that the molecular dynamics of reacting particles and their local environment, rather than spin dynamics, controls the evolution of radical pairs.     

Long-lived polymer radicals. IV. Reactions of poly(N-methylacrylamide) and poly(N-methylmethacrylamide) radicals with binary mixtures of vinyl monomers

N-methylacrylamide (NMAAm) and N-methylmethacrylamide (NMMAm) were polymerized to give polymer microspheres containing living propagating radicals. The microsphere polymer radicals were allowed to react with some binary mixtures of vinyl monomers including alternating copolymerization combinations. The reaction processes were investigated by ESR spectroscopy. In the poly(NMMAm) radical/methyl methacrylate (MMA)/styrene (St) system, the propagating radical from MMA was mainly observed at the higher MMA concentration, while polySt radical prevailed at the lower MMA concentration. In the poly(NMMAm) radical/α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt)/diethyl fumarate system, the α-MeSt radical was exclusively observed, while the maleic anhydride (MAn) radical was predominantly observed in the α-MeSt/MAn system. In the MAn/diphenylethylene system, the propagating radicals from both monomers were observed at comparable concentrations. The poly(NMAAm) microsphere radical behaved differently in the reaction with the MMA/St mixture. The poly(NMAAm) microsphere was found to incorporate preferentially St, leading to formation of the St radical. The St preference was enhanced in the St/cyclohexyl methacrylate (CHMA) system. These results were in agreement with those of block copolymerization via the reaction of poly(NMAAm) radical with the MMA/St or CHMA/St mixture, where the compositions of the resulting polymers were analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography.     

Reactions of OH* and eaq − with uracil and thymine in the presence of Cu(II) ions in dilute aqueous solutions: A pulse radiolysis study

The reactions of OH^* and e_aq ^? adducts of uracil and thymine with Cu(II) ions in aqueous solutions were followed by pulse radiolysis. The transient absorption spectra of the OH^* adducts of uracil when followed in the presence of Cu(II) ions show growth in absorption at wavelengths 420 and 350 nm at 15 μs and 65 μs after the pulse respectively. Similar transient absorption spectra of thymine showed growth in absorption at wavelengths 390 and 320 nm at 38 μs and 65 μs after the pulse respectively. The rates of electron transfer from the OH^* adducts of uracil and thymine to various Cu(II) compounds when monitored at 360 nm lie between 10⁶ and 10⁸ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1 this implies that the electron transfer process is not an efficient process. Low rate constants coupled with the spectral changes suggest formation of a radical copper adduct which decays by water insertion to give cis-glycols as the major product. The electron transfer from the electron adducts of uracil and thymine to various copper(II) compounds takes place more efficiently (rate constants of the order of 10⁸ and 10⁹ mol^?1 dm³ s^?1) compared with that from the OH^* adducts. The t-butanol radicals formed on scavenging the OH^* radicals also produce adducts with Cu(I) ions which are formed on oxidation of the electron adducts by Cu(II) ions. This adduct has absorption around 400 nm both in the case of uracil and thymine.