Photolytic damage in triphenylmethyldisulphane single crystals

Abstract
The E.S.R. spectra of the radicals generated by photolysis of triphenylmethyldisulphane are studied. The E.S.R. eigenvectors are compared to the bond directions in the parent molecule determined from the crystal structure of Ph3CSSH (space group P212121, a = 7.571(1), b = 7.608(1), c = 27.790(5), Z = 4). Pairs of Ph3CSS radicals are trapped, with zero field parameters D = 235 MHz and E = 4 MHz, in addition to the Ph3CS radicals. The crystal structure causes the formation and the stereospecificity of the radical pairs, a mechanism for this effect is suggested.