PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC MOLECULES:
ELUCIDATION OF THE MECHANISMS OF SELECTED PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS BY CHEMICAL AND SPECTROSCOPIC MEANS
We aim to determine the role, multiplicity, and geometry of key electronically excited and ground-state intermediates, applying both chemical and spectroscopic means. We are guided by the premise that a detailed understanding of simple photochemical reactions establishes the proper foundation for the study of more complex photochemical and photobiological systems. Our methods include quantitative measurements of product quantum yields, determination of rate constants by employing steady-state and transient emission and absorption spectroscopy, use of triplet excitation transfer to sensitize or quench triplet reaction pathways, and studies of the effects of medium and temperature on the photochemical and photophysical events. An important goal is the integration of all the information into a self-consistent kinetics model for each reaction. Much of this work depends on the use of computers.
