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To enhance the versatility of organic azides in organic synthesis, a better understanding of their photochemistry is required. Herein, the photoreactivity of azidoisoxazole 1 was characterized in cryogenic matrices with IR and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The irradiation (λ = 254 nm) of azidoisoxazole 1 in an argon matrix at 13 K and in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (mTHF) at 77 K yielded nitrosoalkene 3. Density functional theory (DFT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations were used to aid the characterization of nitrosoalkene 3 and to support the proposed mechanism for its formation. It is likely that nitrosoalkene 3 is formed from the singlet excited state of azidoisoxazole 1 via a concerted mechanism or from cleavage of an intermediate singlet nitrene that does not undergo efficient intersystem crossing to its triplet configuration.
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Photolysis of 3‐Azido‐3‐phenyl‐3 H ‐isobenzofuran‐1‐one at Ambient and Cryogenic Temperatures †
Abstract Although alkyl azides are known to typically form imines under direct irradiation, the product formation mechanism remains ambiguous as some alkyl azides also yield the corresponding triplet alkylnitrenes at cryogenic temperatures. The photoreactivity of 3‐azido‐3‐phenyl‐3H‐isobenzofuran‐1‐one (1) was investigated in solution and in cryogenic matrices. Irradiation (λ = 254 nm) of azide 1 in acetonitrile yielded a mixture of imines 2 and 3. Monitoring of the reaction progress using UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed an isosbestic point at 210 nm, indicating that the reaction proceeded cleanly. Similar results were observed for the photoreactivity of azide 1 in a frozen 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (mTHF) matrix. Irradiation of azide 1 in an argon matrix at 6 K resulted in the disappearance of its IR bands with the concurrent appearance of IR bands corresponding to imines 2 and 3. Thus, it was theorized that azide 1 forms imines 2 and 3 via a concerted mechanism from its singlet excited state or through singlet alkylnitrene11N, which does not intersystem cross to its triplet configuration. This proposal was supported by CASPT2 calculations on a model system, which suggested that the energy gap between the singlet and triplet configurations of alkylnitrene 1N is 33 kcal/mol, thus making intersystem crossing inefficient.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2102248
- PAR ID:
- 10445874
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Photochemistry and Photobiology
- Volume:
- 97
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 0031-8655
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 1397-1406
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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