Singlet molecular oxygen—mediated photooxidation of monochloro and mononitrophenols. A kinetic study

A kinetic and mechanistic study on the aerobic dye sensitized photooxidation of the mono—nitro and chlorophenols was carried out. A singlet molecular oxygen mechanism operates in the photooxidation. Solvent and substituent effects, suggest the intermediacy of a complex with partial charge transfer character, as has been postulated for other phenols. Chemical (reactive) and physical interactions of the substrates with singlet molecular oxygen were discriminated. Quantum yields for photooxidation (higher for the chlorophenols) range from 3 × 10‐2 to 2 × 10‐3, as measured by substrate or oxygen consumption. These values indicate the viability of a singlet molecular oxygen photooxidation as a way for the degradation of nitro and chlorophenol environmental contaminants.