Electron Photoejection from Corannulene Dianion and Li+-Mediated Recombination of the Photogenerated Species

The antiaromatic corannulene dianion, Cor 2-, undergoes photoejection of an electron to yield an intimate cage complex of Cor •- and the electron. Part of the complex species undergoes cage recombination, k rec 1 = 1.1 × 10 6 s -1, while the other part of complex separates, k s = 2.3 × 10 6 s -1, and yields Cor •- and a Li + /e - ion pair. Diffusional recombination of the later products proceeds with a bimolecular rate constant corresponding to k rec 2 = 1.3 × 10 9 M -1 s -1 . Time-resolved laser flash-photolysis and FT-EPR experiments are used to characterize the transient species.