Photosynthesis of rose oxide by concentrated sunlight in the absence of singlet oxygen

Rose oxide was photosynthesized in aerated acetonitrile solutions from citronellol via aromatic diimide (dehydroabietyl perylene diimide and n-butyl naphthalene diimide (BUNAP)) singlet photosensitizers under sodium light (0.2-0.4 sun) and concentrated sun light (90-100 sun). The yield of formation of rose oxide is high by concentrated sun light, with respect to sodium light irradiation. It was shown that, (I) super oxide anion radical results in the production of rose oxide from citronellol as seen previously with singlet oxygen; (II) photo-and thermal-stable aromatic diimides are capable of producing rose oxide in high yield by 100-fold concentrated sun light conditions. The addition of cupric and ferric ions to acetonitrile solutions lowered the yield of rose oxide formation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.