Photolysis of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole in the presence of surfactants

The quantum yield of the photolysis of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) in the molecular form increases by a factor of 20 in the presence of the surfactants cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPCl) in comparison with aqueous solution. In the photolysis of the MBT ionic form, the quantum yield does not change in the presence of CTAB and decreases in the presence of CPCl. The maximums of the MBT absorption spectra shift with an increase in the surfactant concentration for both the molecular and ionic forms. Simultaneously, the MBT photolysis quantum yield increases. It has been shown that the quantum yield of MBT photolysis in water increases in the presence of compounds containing heavy atoms.