Date of Award

2008

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.Sc.

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Keywords

Chemistry, Physical.

Supervisor

Wang, Jichang (Chemistry & Biochemistry)

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

During the course of this work, I discovered that the presence of 1,4-benzoquinone not only could induce various complex behaviors but also significantly enhance the photosensitivity of the BZ system. Mechanistic study suggests that the kinetic influence of 1,4-benzoquinone mainly arises from its interaction with ferriin to form a complex. In the photo-mediated 1,4-benzoquinone-bromate oscillator, dramatic changes in the reaction behavior were achieved upon the initial presence of hydroquinone. Measurements with UV/Vis spectroscopy and MS spectrometry suggest that the formation of hydroquinone-benzoquinone dimer plays a significant kinetic role in the studied system. Further mechanistic investigations on the photo-illuminated Q-bromate reaction unveiled that 1,4-benzoquinone in aqueous solution reacts with bromine only in the presence of light, which produces the brominated-1,4-hydroquinones. Further studies of the newly discovered chemical oscillator in spatially extended media revealed propagating waves in the ferroin-catalyzed benzoquinone-bromate photoreaction.

Share

COinS