Picosecond flash photolysis: Transient absorption in Sn(IV), Pd(II), and Cu(II) porphyrins

From picosecond flash photolysis and spectroscopy, the absorption spectra of the first excited singlet S₁ and of the first excited triplet T₁ of (OEP)SnCl₂ are determined; we also determine triplet quantum yield, φ_t ≈ 0.80. Similar S₁ and T₁ phototransient absorption spectra occur in (OEP)Pd. However, two Cu porphyrins show only one phototransient absorption spectrum. Our T₁ absorption results are generally consistent with the available earlier spectroscopic studies made with other techniques. Our value for φ_t lies intermediate between values given by two earlier studies, which were based on two different methods.