Photochemical hydrogen transfer from bis(i-propylcyclopentadienyl) tungsten dihydride to 9,10-phenanthrenequinone induced by outer sphere charge transfer excitation

The electronic spectrum of the addition compound (i-C(3)H(7)C(5)H(4))(2)WH(2). 9,10-phenanthrenequinone displays a longest wavelength absorption at lambda(max) = 530 nm which is assigned to an outer sphere charge transfer (OSCT) transition from the hydride complex to the quinone. OSCT excitation of the complex leads to hydrogen transfer from the hydride to the quinone. This photoreaction which yields 9, 10-phenanthrenediol proceeds with phi= 0.01 at lambda(irr) = 546 nm. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.