Carbonyls intersystem crossing

Triplet state (cont d) intersystem crossing quantum yields, table of, 239-240 lifetime, 12 lowest triplet energies of carbonyls, table of, 224-225 of hydrocarbons, table of, 226 of various organic molecules, table of, 227... 

Thus we see that in molecules possessing ->- 77 excited states inter-combinational transitions (intersystem crossing, phosphorescence, and non-radiative triplet decay) should be efficient compared to the same processes in aromatic hydrocarbons. This conclusion is consistent with the high phosphorescence efficiencies and low fluorescence efficiencies exhibited by most carbonyl and heterocyclic compounds. 

The first step of the reaction involves the (n, it ) excited state of the carbonyl compound reacting with the ground-state alkene. For aromatic ketones, rapid intersystem crossing from the excited singlet state to the excited triplet state occurs, forming initially a 1,4-biradical and then the oxetane ... 

Such an enhancement of the fluorescence quantum yield can be explained in terms of the relative locations of the singlet n-n and n-n states. In the absence of cation the lowest excited states has n-n character, which results in an efficient intersystem crossing to the triplet state and consequently a low fluorescence quantum yield. In the presence of cation, which strongly interacts with the lone pair of the carbonyl group, the n-n state is likely to be shifted to higher energy so that the lowest excited state becomes n-n. An outstanding selectivity of Na+ versus K+ was found the ratio of the stability constants is 1300 in a mixture of ethanol and water (60 40 v/v). 

In contrast to 2-alkylarylcarbenes, triplet carbonyl carbenes do not abstract H from 5- or e-CH bonds. Photolysis of diazo compounds (7) in methanol gave products due to Wolff rearrangement (8) and 0-H insertion (9). Sensitized photolysis led, in addition, to the H-abstraction product (10). Analysis of the results indicated that a large proportion of the insertion product (9) arises from the excited diazo compound and that spin inversion of the triplet carbene is faster than H-abstraction from the solvent. Intersystem crossing to the singlet state is a major reaction of all triplet carbonyl carbenes that are not rapidly scavenged intramolecularly. 

The rate of intersystem crossing is just as important as its efficiency. Obviously, if the rate of intersystem crossing is faster than that of diffusion in solution (usually on the order of 1010 sec"1), bimolecular reactions of the excited singlet are precluded. Unfortunately, the intersystem crossing rates are available for only a few carbonyl compounds.11,12 It is known that the rate of intersystem crossing for aliphatic carbonyl compounds (e.g., acetone) is slow (4-20 x 107 sec-1)30 in comparison to that for aromatic carbonyl compounds. Thus, aliphatic (and perhaps some aromatic) carbonyl compounds have an opportunity to react in the excited singlet state. 

The ,ir singlet may not be quenched to the same extent as the triplet. For some carbonyl compounds, as with acetone with maleic anhydride, where the rate of photocycloaddition is fast enough to compete with intersystem crossing, this state may play an important... 

Many photochemical reactions have been reported for unsaturated ketones294 but, despite the ease of intersystem crossing shown by most carbonyl compounds, it is not at all obvious that all the reactions occur from triplet states. We shall mention those that have been demonstrated to involve triplet excited states. 

As we shall see, n —> tt singlet and triplet states of carbonyl compounds play an important role in photochemistry. Aldehydes and ketones display all the characteristics of absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence, and intersystem crossing (5, —> T,) illustrated in Figure 28-1. Generally, they are more efficient at intersystem crossing than are unsaturated hydrocarbons, perhaps because the energies of the S and T states involved are not widely different. 

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