Formation and photochemistry of organic sulfur compound–chlorine atom complexes

Photochemical reactions of organic sulfur compounds (CH₃SCH₃, C₂H₅SCH₃ and C₂H₅SC₂H₅)–chlorine atom complexes have been studied using a combined pulse radiolysis-laser flash photolysis technique. Excitation of all complexes has resulted in photobleaching with a similar quantum yield (0.37±0.07), independent of solvent polarities and concentration of solutes. The results were compared with previous studies of the analogous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)–Cl complexes. It is concluded that the significant change of photobleaching quantum yields of the excited DMSO–Cl complex observed in the DMSO-CCl₄ mixed solvent is mainly due to the specific solvation effect of DMSO for cations.