Absorption spectra and extinction coefficients of phenylsulfinyl and phenylsulfenyl (thiyl) radicals are determined by nanosecond laser photolysis in various solvents. Direct observation and characterization of arylsulfinyl radicals from the photolysis of several aromatic sulfoxides provides the strongest evidence to date for α-cleavage as the predominant primary photochemical process for these compounds. The absorption ...