Micellar Systems as ''Supercages'' for Reactions of Geminate Radical Pairs. Magnetic Effects

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00345a031

The photochemistry of dibenzyl ketone (DBK) and other molecules capable of producing benzyl radicals and substituted benzyl radicals has been investigated in micellar systems.The cage effect (percent of unscavengeable radical pairs produced by photolysis) was measured under a variety of conditions, and the results are compared with those obtained in homogeneous organic solvents.For example, parameters such as mean occupancy of ketone, detergent type and concentration, O2 concentration, additives, temperature, applied magnetic field, and pressure have been varied and investigated as to their influence on the magnitude of cage effect.In addition to modifying its environment, structural modification of the DBK by incorporation of 2H and 13C isotopes, hydrophobic groups, and heavy atoms was performed to investigate the impact of these variations on the cage effect in micellar systems.Isotopic substitution of 2H or 13C leads to results on both the quantum yields for reactions and on the percent cage that were consistent with expectations of magnetic isotope effects.Hydrophobic groups substituted in the 4-position of DBK were found to cause a substantial increase in the cage effect and yet retain the magnetic-field-dependent character found in the parent DBK.Incorporation of Br in the 4-position of DBK was found to enhance the cage effect but at the same time cause the cage effect to become magnetic field independent.Substitution of α-naphthyl for phenyl in DBK also produced magnetic-field-independent behavior, in addition to a dramatic decrease in the efficiency of photolysis.