• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.49-60
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• 2003

How stereo selectivity in singlet and triplet photocycloaddition and photocyclization reactions, respectively, is linked to spin selectivity and how this link affects our understanding of photochemical reaction mechanisms, is described in this review. As illustrative examples, the Paterno-Buchi reaction and the Norrish-Yang cyclization are described with emphasis on triplet biradical structure and dynamics.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.165-173
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• 2003

m-Phenylene-linked biscarbenes, bisnitrenes and carbenonitrenes can be formed photochemically from appropriate nitrogenous precursors. Generation of such reactive intermediates under matrix-isolation conditions allows for their characterization by spectroscopic techniques such as ESR, UV /vis and IR. The latter method is also useful in characterizing secondary products derived from these reactive intermediates. Computational chemistry methods complement experimental IR data, aiding, thus, in identification of such compounds. In addition electronic structure calculations help in developing qualitative and semi-quantitative models, which can be useful in predicting ground-state multiplicities. The parent systems of m-phenylene-linked carbenes and nitrenes have high-spin ground states, but a switching to lower multiplicity can be achieved by chemical substitution. The ground state and various low-lying excited states of m-phenylenecarbenonitrenes can be reasonably approximated by simple valence-bond depictions. Finally, m-phenylenecarbenonitrenes are photoreactive in the inert matrix isomerizing to cyclopropene derivatives.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.7-10
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• 1997

The structures of 8-membered azalactone isomers produced from photocyclization of 2-(N,N-dibenzylamino)ethyl benzoylacetate were determined by the X-ray structure analysis to clarify the stereochemical behavior of a 1,8-biradical. The remarkable stereoselectivity in cyclization of the 1,8-biradical to form cis- and trans-isomers of the azalactone was not observed. The ring conformations were boat-chair like and dihedral angles between C$_5$- and C$_6$- phenyl groups were ca 45$\circ$ in the both isomers. The 1,8-biradicals in the transition state for the cyclization would have nearly same boat-chair like conformation and twisted configuration with the dihedral angle of ca 45$\circ$ as the corresponding isomer, and this is responsible for luck of stereoselectivity in long-chain biradical cyclization.