Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.107, No.24, 4778-4783, 2003
Three-color three-laser photochemistry of di(p-methoxyphenyl)methyl chloride
Three-color three-laser photochemistry of di(p-methoxyphenyl)methyl chloride ((p-CH3OC6H4)(2)CHCl = An(2)CHCl) was studied by three-step excitation using 308-, 355-, and 495-nm lasers with delay times of 100 ns to 3mus. Di(p-methoxyphenyl)methyl radical (An(2)CH(.)) was produced together with An(2)CH(.) in the excited state (An(2)CH(.)*) and di(p-methoxyphenyl)methyl cation (An(2)CH(+)) in quantum yields of 0.09, 0.12, and 0.12, respectively, after a laser flash during 308-nm laser (first laser) photolysis of An(2)CHCl in acetonitrile. Excitation of An(2)CH(.) with a 355-nm laser (second laser) resulted in formation of transient absorption of An(2)CH(.)* and An(2)CH(+) and fluorescence of An(2)CH(.)* with a peak at 550 nm. The formation of An(2)CH(+) from An(2)CH(.) requires two-photon energy at 355 nm and proceeds by resonant two-photon ionization (RETPI) of An(2)CH(.) through sequential excitation of An(2)CH(.)*. Excitation of An(2)CH(+) with a 495-nm laser (third laser) produced fluorescence with a peak at 560 nm. Although the fluorescence of An(2)CH(+) was also observed without the second laser excitation because of the initial formation of An(2)CH(+) during the first 308-nm laser photolysis, the fluorescence intensity of An(2)CH(+) increased approximately 1.2 times with the second 355-nm laser excitation of An(2)CH(.). Therefore, the second laser excitation can perform the conversion of An(2)CH(.) to An(2)CH(+) through RETPI within the laser flash duration, and the fluorescence intensity of An(2)CH(+) can be controlled by the second irradiation.