Magnetic field effect on 9-cyanophenanthrene —trans anethole exciplex gives theB_1/2 value, a measure of ‘average’ hyperfine interaction present in the system. This has been compared with the theoretically computed values of hyperfine coupling constants present in the component radical ions using the INDO-UHF method.

Sol-gel technique was used to prepare silica-supported copper chromite catalyst from acid hydrolysis of sodium silicate. The catalyst was characterized by BET surface area, FESEM, XRD, H₂-TPR and pyridine adsorption by FTIR. The catalyst was activated in a hydrogen atmosphere based on H₂-TPR result. The surface acidity of the catalyst was evaluated by NH₃-TPD and pyridine adsorption. XRD result of reduced catalyst showed the presence of Cu⁰, Cu¹⁺ and Cr₂O₃ in the catalyst. Glycerol dehydration was carried out at different temperature (180^°C to 240^°C) from aqueous glycerol solution with the reduced catalyst in a batch reactor. The glycerol conversion was reached 100% with maximum acetol selectivity of 70% for highest Copper chromite loaded (40 wt%) on silica at 220^°C in atmospheric pressure. The distilled liquid product was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Oxidized catalyst and spent catalyst showed lower glycerol conversion with low acetol selectivity than the reduced form of the catalyst. This is due to the cuprous ion in the reduced form of the catalyst, which acts as Lewis acid sites in glycerol dehydration.