A laser flash-photolysis study of the bimolecular reactions of singlet fluorinated arylnitrenes

The kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of singlet perfluoro-4-bipheny initrene and N-propyl-4-nitreno-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzylamide with various amines, pyridine, and dimethylsulfoxide were studied by laser flash photol ysis. The reactions of singlet arylnitrenes with amines are two-step proces ses. The primary step of the process is adduct formation; the rate constant of this reaction is high and lies within the range 4 x 10(7)-2 x 10(8) 1 m ol(-1) s(-1) for the tested secondary amines. The second step (1,2-hydrogen shift) was accelerated in the presence of water.