IMINODIACETIC ACID DEGRADATION PHOTOINDUCED BY COMPLEXATION WITH MONOMETALLIC (IRON(III)) AND BIMETALLIC SYSTEMS (IRON(III) AND COPPER(II))

The degradation of iminodiacetic acid photoinduced (lambda(exc)=365 nm ) by complexation with iron (III) in aqueous solution leads to the for mation of iron (II) and formaldehyde with a quantum yield equal to 0.2 . The addition of copper (II) to iron (III) iminodiacetate solution ma kes the process less efficient. A decomplexation process is observed t hat leads to the formation of copper (II) iminodiacetate whose absorpt ion is strongly shifted toward shorter wavelengths.