Excitation wavelength dependent O2 release from copper(II)-superoxide compounds: laser flash-photolysis experiments and theoretical studies.

Irradiation of the copper(II)-superoxide synthetic complexes [(TMG3tren)Cu(II)(O2)](+) (1) and [(PV-TMPA)Cu(II)(O2)](+) (2) with visible light resulted in direct photogeneration of O2 gas at low temperature (from -40 °C to -70 °C for 1 and from -125 to -135 °C for 2) in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) solvent. The yield of O2 release was wavelength dependent: λexc = 436 nm, ϕ = 0.29 (for 1), ϕ = 0.