- Photochemistry of 3-methyl- and 4-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene in the gas phase1
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The photochemistry of 3-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (3-MDHN) and 4-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (4-MDHN) has been studied in the gas phase. Photolysis of 3-MDHN with 254-nm light produces 2-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (2-MDHN) as the major primary product. Naphthalene is also formed, apparently as a secondary photoproduct from 2-MDHN. Addition of butane to the photolysis mixture quenches the formation of 2-MDHN while producing a new photoproduct, 1-isopropenylbenzocyclobutene (IBCB). This product is also formed when light centered at 300 nm is used for the photolysis. Photolysis of 4-MDHN vapor with 254-nm light gives three products unique to the gas phase: 1-isopropenyl-2-vinylbenzene (IVB), 3-(o-tolyl)-1,2-butadiene (T12B), and 1-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (1-MDHN). An apparent alkyl shift product, 3-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (3-MDHN), and naphthalene are also formed, apparently as secondary photolysis products from 1-MDHN. In addition, several photoproducts common to both the solution and gas phase are detected: 2-(o-tolyl)-1,3-butadiene (T13B), 1-methylbenzobicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene (1-MBBH), 1-methyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene (1-M-1,4-DHN), 1-methyltetralin (1-MT), and 1-methylnaphthalene (1-MN). Again, the presence of butane during the 254-nm photolysis, or the use of longer wavelength light, gives rise to a new photoproduct, 1-methyl-1-vinylbenzocyclobutene (MVBCB). The fluorescence excitation spectrum for 4-MDHN confirms that 254-nm excitation into S2 leads to minimal population of the emissive vibrational levels of S1. Two pathways appear to dominate the photochemistry: retro [4 + 2] cycloaddition to give o-quinodimethane intermediates and sequential hydrogen shifts. These pathways derive from S2 and/or upper vibrational levels of S1 (S1vib) as indicated by the characteristic responses of their ultimate products to the presence of buffer gas. The benzocyclobutenes are unique; they are postulated to arise through a 2 + 2 closure of a vibrationally relaxed precursor o-quinodimethane or via a [1,3] sigmatropic shift in a uniquely populated set of S1vib levels.
- Duguid, Robert J.,Morrison, Harry
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p. 1271 - 1281
(2007/10/02)
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- Ring and C-O Bond Fragmentation as Tools for Fingerprinting the Extent of Homolysis during Base-Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond Cleavages of the Haller-Bauer, Cram, and Gilday Types
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The mechanisms of the base-catalyzed cleavage of non-enolizable ketones (Haller-Bauer reaction), fragmentation of the alkali-metal salts of diphenylcarbinols (Cram cleavage), and decarboxylative elimination of methyllithium-carboxylic acid adducts (Gilday process) are probed by attaching a small ring or a carbon-oxygen bond proximal to the ultimate seat of reaction.Particular attention is given to whether product formation in the first case is accompanied by fission of the cyclopropane or cyclobutane subunit.The product distributions constitute a serviceable diagnostic of the relative extent to which carbanion and radical pathways operate concurrently.This distinction is also possible in the oxa analogues since the homolysis/heterolysis dichtomy is matched by retention of an intact C-O bond and the extent of its cleavage, respectively.A key feature of the Haller-Bauer process is its ability to deliver debenzoylated products having intact cyclopropane or cyclobutane rings because of its strong predilection for the generation of carbanions during C-C bond fragmentation.Counterion influences are minimal.The Cram cleavages show a very different product distribution profile.The results can be plausibly fitted to the involvement of free radicals, although the distinction between direct C-C bond hemolysis or heterolysis followed by rapid black-electron transfer cannot be made at this time.Because the Gilday reaction leads directly to styrenes and these products suffer destruction under the reaction conditions, this transformation lacks synthetic value in this particular context.
- Paquette, Leo A.,Maynard, George D.
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p. 5054 - 5063
(2007/10/02)
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