Optical absorption spectra of solvated electrons in 1-butylamine–water mixed solvents

Abstract

The optical absorption spectra of es− in 1-butylamine–water mixed solvents increase smoothly in energy and intensity as the water content is increased, with the exception of a small decrease in intensity on going from 95 to 100 mol% water. At 298 K the value of Gεmax increases from 1.42 × 10−21 m2/16 aJ (8.6 × 103 es−L/100 eV mol cm) in pure 1-butylamine to 8.3 × 10−21 m2/16 aJ (50 × 103 es−L/100 eV mol cm) in pure water, and the value of EAmax increases from 115 zJ (0.72 eV) to 278 zJ (1.74 eV). In the pure amine, if G(es−) = 0.27, then εmax = 5.3 × 10−21 m2/es− (3200 m2/mol). The solvent composition dependences of Gεmax and EAmax indicate little selective solvation of es− by water; this might be due to relatively "ideal" mixing of water and amine in the binary solvents. The temperature coefficient −dEAmax/dT = 0.43 zJ/K in pure 1-butylamine, 0.47 in pure water, and has a minimum of 0.27 in the 50:50 mixture. Keywords: 1-butylamine–water mixed solvents, optical absorption spectra, solvated electron, temperature dependence.