Precise analyses of photoelectrochemical reactions on particulate ZnCdSe photoanodes in nonaqueous electrolytes using Ru bipyridyl complexes as a probe.

Recombination of photoexcited carriers at interface states is generally believed to strongly govern the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of semiconductors in electrolytes. Sacrificial reagents (, methanol or NaSO) are often used to assess the ideal PEC performance of photoanodes in cases of minimised interfacial recombination kinetics as well as accelerated surface reaction kinetics. However, varying the sacrificial reagents in the electrolyte means simultaneously changing the equilibrium potential and the number of electrons required to perform the sacrificial reaction, and thus the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the PEC reactions cannot be distinguished.

Mercuric triflate-catalyzed reaction of propargyl acetates with water leading vinyl ketones.

[reaction: see text]. Reaction of propargyl acetate with water catalyzed by Hg(OTf)2 afforded vinyl ketone as the major product along with a dimeric vinyl mercuric product and normal hydration products in small amounts. The reaction is an alternative to the Meyer-Schuster and Rupe rearrangement applicable to primary alcohols, although the mechanism is entirely different.