Triplet-state photophysics of naphthalene and α,ω-diphenylpolyenes included in heavy-cation-exchanged zeolites

Heavy-cation-exchanged zeolites offer a powerful new medium for observing external heavy-atom perturbation of organic triplet states. In this Letter we report the use of optically detected magnetic resonance measurements to determine the geometric mode of interaction between the perturbing heavy atom and naphthalene within the X- and Y-type faujasites exchanged with K⁺, Rb⁺, and Cs⁺. Building upon these results, we demonstrate the use of the heavy-cation-exchanged zeolites as spectroscopic matrices enabling the detection of triplet phosphorescence from a series of all-trans-α,ω-diphenylpolyenes for which phosphorescence has not been previously observed.