Photophysics and photodeprotection reactions of p-methoxyphenacyl phototriggers: an ultrafast and nanosecond time-resolved spectroscopic and density functional theory study

Time-resolved spectroscopic experiments are used for examining the kinetics and mechanisms of the photodeprotection reactions for p-methoxyphenacyl (pMP) compounds, p-methoxyphenacyl diethyl phosphate (MPEP) and diphenyl phosphate (MPPP). The density functional theory (DFT) calculations have shown a substantial solvation effect that is connected with the methoxy versus hydroxyl substitution in accounting for the different deprotection reactivity of pMP and pHP compounds.