• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2003

Recent studies on the photoreactivity of l,4-unsaturated systems have changed some ideas that were firmly established in this area of research for many years. Thus, we have described the first examples of 2-aza-di-$\pi$-methane (2-ADPM) rearrangements promoted by triplet-sensitization and by single electron transfer (SET) using electron-acceptor sensitizers. These reactions afford N-vinylaziridine and cyclopropylimine photoproducts in the first examples of di-$\pi$-methane processes that yield three-membered ring heterocycles. l-Aza-1,4-dienes also undergo SET-promoted l-aza-di-$\pi$-methane (l-ADPM) rearrangements via radical-cation intermediates using electron acceptor sensitizers. In some cases, alternative cyclizations yielding different carbocycles and heterocycles have been observed. The l-ADPM and di-$\pi$-methane (DPM) reactions also occur via radical-anion intermediates on irradiation using electron donor sensitizers. On the other hand, the photoreactivity reported for $\beta$,${\gamma}$-unsaturated aldehydes for many years was decarbonylation to the corresponding alkenes. However, our studies demonstrate that these compounds undergo the oxa-di-$\pi$-methane (ODPM) rearrangement with high chemical and quantum efficiency. A comparison of the photochemical reactivity of $\beta$,${\gamma}$-unsaturated aldehydes and corresponding methyl ketones has shown that the ketones do not undergo the ODPM rearrangement while the corresponding aldehydes are reactive by this pathway. Monosubstituted $\beta$,${\gamma}$-unsaturated aldehydes at C-2 undergo the ODPM rearrangement yielding the corresponding cyclopropane carbaldehydes diastereoselectively. Finally, we have described the first examples of reactions, similar to the well know Norrish Type I process, which take place in the triplet excited state of $\beta$,${\gamma}$-unsaturated carbonyl compounds by excitation of the C-C double bond instead of the carbonyl group.