PHOTOINDUCED ELECTRON-TRANSFER IN ION-PAIRS OF CATION-ANION POLYMETHINE DYES

Photoinduced electron transfer in ion pairs of cation-anion polymethine dyes was studied by flash photolysis. The formation of radicals, which are the products of photoinduced transfer of an electron from an anion to a cation in the ion pairs, was observed during photoexcitation of a number of cation-anion dyes in nonpolar and some weakly polar solvents (in particular, in toluene and chloroform). Photoinduced electron transfer is also observed during triplet sensitization of ion pairs of the cation-anion dyes. The redox potentials of the cations and anions constituting the dyes were measured; the radical yields were compared with the free energies of photoinduced electron transfer. Photoinduced electron transfer in the systems under study was compared with similar process in cyanineborate ion pairs.