Intermediates derived from p-terphenyl in the methyltributylammonium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ionic liquid saturated with carbon dioxide: Pulse radiolysis study

Radiation-induced processes in ionic liquid (IL) methyltributylammonium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] imide ([MeBu₃N][NTf₂]) solutions containing p-terphenyl (TP) and saturated with carbon dioxide (CO₂) were studied using nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique with UV-vis detection. The transient absorption spectra generated in these solutions were assigned to TP radical anions (TP^•−) and triplet excited states (³TP*). Saturation of [MeBu₃N][NTf₂] solutions with carbon dioxide efficiently takes out presolvated electrons (epresolv−) ( {{\rm{e}}_{{\rm{presolv}}}^ - } ) and solvated electrons (esolv−) ( {{\rm{e}}_{{\rm{solv}}}^ - } ) . On the other hand CO₂ is not a scavenger of excited states of TP (¹TP*, ³TP*), which in the reaction with triethylamine (TEA) leads to the formation of TP^•−.