Photochemical Ring-Opening of Acid Anhydrides by $TiO_2$ Photocatalyst in Methanol

Photoreactions of some carbonyl compounds with TiO$_2$ were investigated in methanol. Although 1,3-cyclohexanedione and phthalimide afforded 3-methoxy-2-cyclohexen-l-one and 3-methoxy-1-isoindolinone, respectively, acid anhydrides such as succinic, phthalic, and maleic anhydrides gave the monoesters of dicarboxylic acids in good to excellent yields, when they were irradiated on TiO$_2$ in methanol with 300 nm UV light.