Some evidence in favour of an electron transfer mechanism in the TiO2 photosensitized oxidation of benzyl derivatives in aqueous media

The structure and/or distribution of products from the TiO2-sensitized photooxidation of some benzyl derivatives in aerated and/or deaerated aqueous media and in the presence of Ag2SO4 are reported. The results suggest that the single electron transfer process from the substrate to the photogenerated hole, previously proposed in CH3CN, should also be operative on gradually going from aqueous CH3CN to pure water.