L. O. Ruzo

Photoreactions of Simple Halonaphthalenes in Solution

The photolysis products and reaction quantum yields from a number of simple halonaphthalenes have been determined. Fluoronaphthalenes react from a singlet state to yield substitution products in nucleophilic solvents. Chloronaphthalenes and 1-bromonaphthalene afford mainly radical products (naphthalene and binaphthyls) through a triplet state, though some photonucleophilic substitution occurs with chloronaphthalene. Attempts at quenching lead to abnormal behavior, in that enhanced quantum yields for reaction are found with several potential triplet quenchers. Electron transfer processes are proposed to rationalize the observed products.