KINETICS OF ONE-ELECTRON REDUCTION OF ACRIDINE-ORANGE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ITS SEMIREDUCED SPECIES IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS BY PULSE-RADIOLYSIS

Semireduced acridine orange was generated pulse-radiolytically by reac tions of various one-electron reducing radicals (e(aq)(-), (CH3)(2)COH , CO2-) with the cationic dye acridine orange. Rate constants for the reactions of all these radicals with the dye were determined and the y ields of the transient, semireduced acridine orange in these reactions were estimated. Spectral and acid-base properties of the semireduced species formed by these reactions have been evaluated and the nature o f its decay kinetics has been resolved. Rate constants for the interac tion of the transient with the parent molecule have been determined. U sing (CH3)(2)CO, H+/(CH3)(2)COH as the standard couple, the one-electr on reduction potential of the dye was determined.