DIRECT OBSERVATION OF ELECTRON TRANSFER BETWEEN PHENOTHIAZINES AND 1,2-DIOXETANES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(01)93881-X

Phenothiazine derivatives 4-7 efficiently reduce 3,3,4,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dioxetane (1a) to pinacol, whereby catalytic decomposition into acetone is a significant side reaction, while N-methylphenothiazine (9) is oxidized to its sulfoxide by malonyl (2) and dibenzoyl peroxide (3); a single-electron-transfer (SET) process is supported by UV-Vis spectroscopic detection of the phenothiazine radical cation.