Photochemistry of chlorinated biphenyls in iso-octane solution

Abstract

The photolysis of a series of chlorinated biphenyls was examined in iso-octane at 254 nm. A triplet reactive state is implicated, it is concluded that the greater photolability of ortho-chlorinated biphenyls is due to their higher triplet energies. Excimers appear to play no role in the photodegradation. With triethylamine, fluorescent exciplexes are observed, and these may participate chemically in the decomposition of the least labile substrates.