Photochemical Norrish type I reaction as a tool for metal nanoparticle synthesis: importance of proton coupled electron transfer.

The Norrish type I photocleavage is an excellent source of strongly reducing free radicals that can be used to convert soluble metal ions into their atomic state that proceed to form nanoparticles. Proton coupled electron transfer (PCeT) is a useful tool to interpret the mechanism for metal ion reduction, a process that in these systems involves multisite PCeT, with proton and electron having separate receiving substrates. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012