Laser Flash Photolysis Study of Dialkylphenacylsulfonium Salts

Laser flash photolysis of the title compound in degassed acetonitrile at room temperature revealed the presence of transient species showing the absorption at 480 nm, regardless of the structure of the precursors. The transient bands are assigned to phenacyl radical presumably formed as a result of the carbon-sulfur bond rather than 1,4-biradicals or cationic species proposed to be formed as a result of Norrish Type II process.