Photoinduced Oxidation of Sterically Hindered Amines in Acetonitrile Solutions and Titania Suspensions (An EPR Study)

The reactions of sterically hindered amines (SHA) were investigated in acetonitrile solutions and TiO2 suspensions upon exposure to monochromatic radiation, lambda = 365 nm, by means of in situ EPR spectroscopy. The formation of singlet oxygen, as one of the possible oxidation agents for SHA, in these systems is affected significantly by solvent used and the experimental conditions. Experiments in homogeneous media evidenced alternative pathways for the SHA oxidation with a variety reactive oxygen species involved. In anhydrous acetonitrile solutions containing KO2, the SHA oxidation was negligible not only in the dark but also on continuous exposure. However, the presence of water, even at low concentrations, led to the transformation of O-2(center dot-) to singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, which served as a source of hydroxyl radicals. These species participated in oxidation of SHA resulting in the generation of nitroxide radicals. To investigate the influence of different competitive reactions of SHA with other ROS formed upon TiO2 photoexcitation, a series of experiments using different additives (e.g. KO2, H2O2, NaN3, dimethylsulfoxide, methanol as organic cosolvents) under air or argon were performed. The detailed analysis of paramagnetic intermediates formed upon the irradiation of the studied systems was accomplished using EPR spin trapping technique.