The role of the molecular environment for the primary photoprocesses of phenol in solution

Quantum yields of fluorescence as well as of solvated electron and H atom formation have been measured for phenol in several pure solvents and mixtures of varying polarity. The influence of excitation energy has been studied by excitation of phenol in the first and second excited singlet states. The solvent dependences of fluorescence and photoejection parameters are strongly correlated. The results are interpreted in terms of specific solute–solvent interactions, in particular H-bonded structures.