Dye-Sensitized photooxidation of anthracene and its derivatives in nafion membrane

Abstract

The methylene blue (MB) sensitized photooxidations of anthracene (AN), 9,10-diphenyl-anthracene (DPA) and 2-dimethylaminoanthracene (DMA) have been studied in ethanol and in Nafion, a perfluorinated polymer with sulfonate groups. Spectroscopic studies indicate that the incorporated chromophores are heterogeneously distributed in the micelle-like polymer. The uncharged aromatic hydrocarbons are located in the non-polar polymer backbone region while the positively charged species reside at the interface of aqueous cluster regions in the membrane. The MB-sensitized photooxidations of all anthracenes are faster in Nafion than in ethanol. Furthermore the photooxidation of AN is 1.6 times higher i..