Singlet oxygen production upon two-photon excitation of TiO2 in chloroform.

Singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) signals observed upon illumination at 532 nm are a consequence of TiO(2) excitation in a two-photon process, and at 355 nm in a one-photon pathway. After corrections for light reflectance, the relative quantum yields of (1)O(2) production are 0.23+/-0.01 and 0.22+/-0.02 for 532 and 355 nm excitation, respectively. Total quenching rate constants of (1)O(2) removal by TiO(2) particles are near the diffusion-controlled rate limit. By employing (1)O(2) as a probe, we have established an efficient and simple method to elucidate the nature of TiO(2) photoexcitation.