Singlet oxygen is an emissive ligand

Abstract

Unprecedented experimental evidence shows that gaseous singlet oxygen (¹O₂) acts as an emissive ligand following collisional photosensitization. This evidence was obtained by monitoring ¹O₂ phosphorescence intensity at ≈1275–1280 nm and the excited state lifetime of singlet oxygen generated by known tetraphenylporphyrin photosensitizers, while varying the atmospheric environment.