Reductive properties of excited state organic anions are discussed, starting from the preliminary presentation of other related properties: spectral characteristics, ion pair associations and photoejection ability.
Electron transfer reactions may be correlated by the Marcus treatment and some peculiarities of the use of this model, in the case of oxyanions, are pinpointed.
Photoreactions employing an electron transfer are discussed. Among these are recent examples of photochemical S(RN)1 reactions, photoalkylations of carbanions and photoreductions initiated by oxyanions and radical anions. Anions used in their ground state as electron donating quenchers are also considered. Intra ion pair electron transfers as well as the use of anion-like precursors in charge transfer complexes or charge transfer excited states are presented