PHOTOOXIDATIONS OF SULFENIC ACID-DERIVATIVES .5. THE REACTION OF SINGLET OXYGEN WITH ETHYL PHENYL SULFENATE

The reaction of ethyl phenylsulfenate ester with singlet oxygen was investigated, The total rate of disappearance of singlet oxygen induced by the sulfenate ester, k(T), was measured by monitoring the quenching of the emission of singlet oxygen at 1270 nm. This result coupled with a measurement of the rate of product formation reveals that ethyl phenylsulfenate ester does not physically quench singlet oxygen, Quantitative trapping studies with Ph(2)S and Ph(2)SO suggest that only one intermediate is kinetically required on the reaction surface, This is in dramatic contrast to sulfides and sulfenamides which require two intermediates, The implications of these results are discussed.