Effects of molecular structure and environment on the photodimerization of substituted anthracenes

Photochemical and photophysical studies of a number of 9-substituted anthracene sandwich pairs in their corresponding photodimer crystal matrices have been carried out. Corresponding studies have also been made in methylcyclohexane matrices at 6 K. Photodimerization of the 9-methyl, 9-chloro and 9-cyano derivatives in the photodimer matrices occurs at 6 K with unit quantum yield. The presence of excimer fluorescence from sandwich pairs indicates the lack of a perfect topochemical orientation while activation processes, leading to photodimerization, involve molecular re-orientation from more stable ground state configurations which are achieved within the constraints imposed by the solvent or crystalline cage.