S. Corrent et al., Intrazeolite photochemistry. photochemistry of 1-azaxanthone in zeolites in the presence of hydrogen donors, electron donors, and energy accepters, J PHYS CH B, 103(38), 1999, pp. 8097-8103
The photochemistry and photophysics of 1-azaxanthone included in faujasite
zeolites have been examined. In organic solvents, 1-azaxanthone has been fo
und to be a better H-abstractor than benzophenone, which led to the idea of
its use as a probe for radical reactions in heterogeneous systems. However
, in the highly polar zeolite interior, mixing of n,pi* and pi,pi* states o
f 1-azaxanthone occurs, resulting in reduced probe reactivity. The reaction
s of excited 1-azaxanthone included in NaY in the presence of other organic
guests in the supercages were also monitored. Go-inclusion of small amount
s of basic molecules such as pyridine and triethylamine led to a substantia
l increase in the triplet lifetime. Larger amounts of triethylamine resulte
d in ketyl radical anion formation, and addition of 2-propanol, a good hydr
ogen donor, resulted in some ketyl radical formation along with another tra
nsient. This second transient is ascribed to the cyclohexadienyl radical of
1-azaxanthone. Inclusion complexes of benzophenone in NaY were also prepar
ed and the reactivity was compared to the 1-azaxanthone inclusion complexes
.