Electron Scavenging by Benzene Derivatives in Alcohol Glasses

Electron scavenging efficiencies by benzene derivatives in alcohol glasses were studied by employing gamma radiolysis at 77 K. Scavenging efficiencies, 1/[S]1⁄2, were quasi-linear with the adiabatic electron affinities (EA) of the acceptors and they increased as the solvation time of the trapped electron became long. Electron scavenging was explained as a tunneleing of the unsolvated electron; the pre-exponential factor in the tunneling rate was calculated by employing the Morse function developed by Wentworth et al. in the gas phase, which gave an EA dependence in accordance with the experimental results.