Quenching of singlet and triplet excited aromatic hydrocarbons by sulphides :- the amine and sulphide enhanced photo-induced degradation of chloro- and cyanoaromatic hydrocarbons

Sulphides have been shown to be capable of quenching the excited singlet and triplet states of several aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The quenching is proposed to involve an electron transfer mechanism. The use of sulphides and amines to generate aromatic hydrocarbon radical cations from the excited states of these compounds has been utilised in order to carry out reductive decyanation reactions of cyanoaromatic hydrocarbons.