Pulse Radiolysis of Methyl Viologen in Aqueous Solutions

Pulse radiolysis of air-free aqueous methyl viologen (MV2+) solutions was carried out at various pH. The attack of e–aq on MV2+, with k(e–aq+ MV2+)= 7.5 × 1010 dm3 mol–1 s–1, leads to the formation of the long-lived radical cation (MV˙+), which possesses two absorption maxima at 392.5 nm (ε392.5= 4200 m2 mol–1) and 600 nm (ε600= 1450 m2 mol–1). The H-atoms react with MV2+ at pH 1 forming two species, which have superimposed absorption bands. By means of a computer simulation they are resolved in the absorptions belonging to: (1) a protonated form of the radical cation (MV˙+H+), which is produced with k(H + MV2+)=(3.5 ± 0.2)× 108 dm3 mol–1 s–1, has 2 absorption maxima at 390 nm (ε390= 1700 m2 mol–1) and 595 nm (ε595= 760 m2 mol–1) and decays by second-order kinetics with k= 3.5 × 109 dm3 mol–1 s–1; (2) an H-adduct (MV˙2+H) on the ring carbon, which is formed with k(H + MV2+)= 2.5 × 108 dm3 mol–1 s–1, absorbs at 310 nm (ε310= 900 m2 mol–1) and 470 nm (ε470= 630 m2 mol–1) and decays by conversion into MV˙+H+ in a first-order process with k= 6 × 103 s–1. For the equilibrium MV˙+H+ MV˙++ H+ pK= 2.9 ± 0.1 was determined. The presented data explain, at least partly, the instability of MV2+ when used as an electron acceptor in various devices for the utilization of solar energy.