WHITHER INORGANIC PHOTOCHEMISTRY - PAROCHIAL VIEW

The main streams of development of the photochemistry of coordination compounds are summarized and related to current areas of major activity. Several are illustrated in terms of work in progress in the author's laboratory. The d3 system of Cr(III) complexes has become the paradigm one for the field, and detailed studies of emission lifetimes and of rates cr primary photoproduct formation clarify the chemistry of the first doublet and quartet thermally equilibrated excited (thexi) states. New rules governing emission lifetimes are presented. Excited state absorption spectra and possible resonance Raman spectroscopy of thexi states are described for Rh(III) complexes. Results on the photochemistry of Co(III) ammines having a Co-S bond are given, and on the chemistry and photophysics of aqueous polymers of Pt(CN)42-. Likely directions of development in the next decade are discussed. Existing and new model systems will be explored in increasing depth; there will be major advances in elucidating the reaction mechanisms of thexi states and on their spectroscopy and thermodynamics. Studies on solar energy conversion systems will continue, with some laboratory but no economic success. © IUPAC