Resonance Raman spectroscopic study of cation radicals of aromatic molecules formed in the interlayer of transition-metal exchanged montmorillonites

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been demonstrated to give important structural information on the reactions of aromatic molecules in the interlayer of transition-metal ion-exchanged montmorillonites. Para-substituted benzenes or 4,4-substituted biphenyls are oxidized to form their cation radicals, which are stabilized in the interlayer of the clay mineral. The oxidative dimerization or polymerization results in the formation of biphenyl type cations and poly-p-phenylene cations from mono-substituted benzenes and benzene, respectively.