Photophysical and electron transfer studies of a stable carbocation

Photophysical and electron transfer properties of the stable trioxatriangulenium carbocation (1) are reported. Photophysical studies include absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra, singlet and triplet state quantum yields and lifetimes. Both the singlet and triplet excited states of 1 can accept an electron from donor molecules leading to the formation of the donor radical cation and the radical of 1. In aqueous solution, 1 can photo-oxidize DNA nucleosides such as guanosine and adenosine indicating that 1 may have potential use as a DNA cleaving agent. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.