Abstract

The development of solid-state photochemistry has been sluggish compared to solution state photochemistry due to the lack of readily accessible analytical tools necessary to probe and understand solid-state reactions. Although significant progress towards understanding mechanistic solid-state photochemistry has been achieved through comparing X-Ray crystal structures of reactants and products and various other pulsed-laser techniques, a more efficient and operationally simple method to perform mechanistic solid-state photochemistry is vital for further development. To meet these ends, the Garcia-Garibay group has implemented the use of nanocrystalline suspensions in water to overcome the challenges of high optical densities, strong light scattering, and the potential interference by the accumulation of photoproducts in solid-state photochemistry. This dissertation is dedicated to expanding the frontiers of solid-state photochemistry by studying the specificity, scope and mechanism of D2-1,2,3-triazolines to form the corresponding aziridines as well as probing the kinetics and mechanism of carbazole formation from selected 2-azidobiphenyls in the solid-state.