POLYMER BOUND PYRROLE COMPOUNDS–VI. PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MONOMERIC MODELS FOR POLYSTYRENE‐BOUND PORPHYRINS

Abstract— Several porphyrin esters used as models for polystyrene‐bound porphyrins have been prepared and their excited states have been studied by laser flash photolysis, IR phosphorescence of singlet molecular oxygen, O₂(¹Δ_g), and steady‐state fluorescence. The photophysical properties of the porphyrin esters in solution are affected by the presence of nitro group(s) in the chain. In this case, an important decrease in φ_f, φ_T and φ_δ (to ca 0.7–0.4 of the value for the parent dimethyl ester) is observed. This is mainly due to intramolecular electron‐transfer quenching [by the nitro group(s)] of the first excited singlet state of the porphyrin. The thermodynamic feasibility of this deactivation pathway has been confirmed polarographically. Quenching of the porphyrin triplet state and of O₂(¹Δ_g) by the nitro groups is negligible. The present conclusions explain also the results obtained previously for the photooxidation of bilirubin sensitized by the parent insoluble polystyrene‐bound porphyrins. In that case the photooxidation rates were correlated directly with the quantum yield of O₂(¹Δ_g) production by the sensitizer. The consequences of these results for the use of polystyrene‐bound porphyrins in sensitized photooxidation processes are discussed.