%0 Journal Article
%T Electron transfer in N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid by pulse radiolysis
%A HaiYing Fu
%A ZhaoGuo Xing
%A XiYan Cao
%A GuoZhong Wu
%J Chinese Science Bulletin
%@ 1861-9541
%D 2013
%I 
%R 10.1007/s11434-013-5684-7
%X The radiolysis behavior of neat pyridinium ionic liquids (ILs) and their aqueous solutions was investigated using nanosecond pulse radiolysis techniques. Radiolysis of the ionic liquids, such as N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (BuPyBF4), resulted in the formation of solvated electrons and organic radicals. Solvated electrons reacted with the pyridinium moiety to produce a pyridinyl radical, which can transfer electrons to various acceptors. The electron-transfer rate constants of the solvent-derived butylpyridinyl radicals in BuPyBF4 and in several compounds (for example, duroquinone, 4,4กไ-pyridine, benzophenone, and 1,1กไ-dimethyl-4,4กไ-bypyridinium dichloride) (k of the order 108 L mol 1 s 1) were lower than those measured in water and in i-PrOH but were significantly higher than the diffusion-controlled rate constants estimated based on viscosity. The electron-transfer rate constants in neat BuPyBF4 were one order of magnitude faster than the diffusion-controlled values. This finding suggests that BuPyBF4 acts not only as solvent but also as active solute, such as in solvent-mediated reactions. These reactions result in electrons reaching their final destinations via intervening pyridinium groups without requiring the diffusion of a specific radical.
%K pulse radiolysis
%K ionic liquid
%K transient absorption
%K electron transfer
%U http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11434-013-5684-7