Energy and Electron Transfer in the Field of Transition Metal Complexes

The bimolecular quenching of an excited state molecule in fluid solution can occur in three fundamental ways:^1–3 (i) chemical reaction between the excited state and the quencher, (ii) electronic energy transfer from the excited state to the quencher, or (iii) deactivation of the excited state by some catalytic action of the quencher. The intimate nature of the quenching mechanism is often difficult to elucidate for a single excited state-quencher couple. More useful information can generally be obtained from correlations of data concerning homogeneous families of excited states and/or quenchers.