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Title: Photochemical Decarbonylation of Oxetanone and Azetidinone: Spectroscopy, Computational Models, and Synthetic Applications**
Abstract Photoexcitation of cyclic ketones leads to the expulsion of carbon monoxide and a mixture of products derived from diradical intermediates. Here we show that synthetic utility of this process is improved if strained heterocyclic ketones are used. Photochemistry of 3‐oxetanone and N ‐Boc‐3‐azetidinone has not been previously described. Decarbonylation of these 4‐membered rings proceeds through a step‐wise Norrish type I cleavage of the C−C bond from the singlet excited state. Ylides derived from both compounds are high‐energy species that are kinetically stable long enough to undergo [3+2] cycloaddition with a variety of alkenes and produce substituted tetrahydrofurans and pyrrolidines. The reaction has a sufficiently wide scope to produce scaffolds that were either previously inaccessible or difficult to synthesize, thereby providing experimental access to new chemical space.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1956387
NSF-PAR ID:
10443780
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Volume:
62
Issue:
3
ISSN:
1433-7851
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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