Resonant dissociative electron transfer of the presolvated electron to CCl4 in liquid: Direct observation and lifetime of the CCl4*− transition state

Abstract

We report a pump-probe femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic study on the electron transfer reaction of CCl4 in liquid ethanol. By direct observations of the presolvated electron and of the reaction transition state CCl4*−, this study provides direct evidence of the resonant dissociative electron transfer (RDET) of the presolvated electron to CCl4. Moreover, the lifetime of CCl4*− in ethanol is directly obtained from the decay kinetics and its measured value is found to be nearly identical to its gas-phase value. Hence, these results also imply that RDET can be an efficient process in an aqueous environment.