title: Transient spectroscopy of ninhydrin.
abstract: The photochemistry of ninhydrin in benzene and water was studied by laser flash photolysis and electron paramagnetic resonance. Its photochemistry was shown to be dependent on the solvent. In benzene, a triplet excited state was observed, which underwent hydrogen abstraction reactions or reduction to the radical anion. In water, the radical anion of ninhydrin was formed within the laser pulse (15 ns) at neutral pH, whereas the neutral ketyl radical was formed by protonation of the radical anion at low pH. A pKa of 0.77 was determined for the protonation equilibrium. The formation of hydrindantin is proposed to occur through the dimerization of the ketyl radical or the radical anion (or both). In addition, ninhydrin was shown to be a poor precursor for the photogeneration of hydroxyl radicals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3065, Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.forename: João P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Telo
authors.forename: Abel J S C
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bohne
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Netto-Ferreira