Flash photolysis of solutions of sodium in ethers

Flash photolysis of ethereal solutions of sodium results in the almost complete disappearance of the original absorption band at 15000 cm⁻¹ and in the formation of solvated electrons. After the flash an intermediate with an absorption maximum at 12000 cm⁻¹ is formed. This absorption is assigned to a species which has the stoichiometric composition of a sodium atom. Although it may be described as a metal “monomer” we propose as an alternative model the concept of an “ion pair” of a solvated electron and a sodium cation. In analogy to the 12000 cm⁻¹ transient we propose that the blue species can be described as an associate of a sodium cation with two solvated electrons.