Competition between "Meta Effect" Photochemical Reactions of Selected Benzophenone Compounds Having Two Different Substituents at Meta Positions

Studies on The Application of The Paternò-Büchi Reaction to The Synthesis of Novel Fluorinated Scaffolds

In the context of new scaffolds obtained by photochemical reactions, Paternò-Büchi reactions between heteroaromatic, trifluoromethylphenyl ketone and electron rich alkenes to give oxetanes are described. A comprehensive study has then been carried out on the reaction of aromatic ketones with fluorinated alkenes. Depending on the substitution pattern at the oxetane ring, a metathesis reaction is described as a minor side process to give mono fluorinated alkenes. Overall, this last reaction corresponds to a photo-Wittig reaction and yield amid isosteres. In order to explain the uncommon regioselectivity of the Paternò-Büchi reaction with these alkenes, electrostatic-potential derived charges (ESP) have been determined. In a second computational study, the relative stabilities of the typical 1,4-diradical intermediates of the Paternò-Büchi reaction have been determined. The results well explain the regioselectivity. Further transformations of the oxetanes or previous functionalization of the fluoroalkenes open perspectives for oxetanes as core structures for biologically active compounds.

Time-Resolved Spectroscopic Observation and Characterization of Water-Assisted Photoredox Reactions of Selected Aromatic Carbonyl Compounds

In recent years, unusual and efficient self-photoredox reactions were detected for selected benzophenone derivatives (BPs) and anthraquinone derivatives (AQs) in aqueous environments by Wan and co-workers, where the carbonyl undergoes reduction to the corresponding alcohol and a side-chain alcohol group undergoes oxidation to the corresponding carbonyl. To unravel the photoredox reaction mechanisms of these types of BPs and AQs in aqueous environments, we have utilized a combination of time-resolved spectroscopy techniques such as femtosecond transient absorption, nanosecond transient absorption, and nanosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy to detect and characterize the electronic absorption and vibrational spectra of the intermediates and transient species from the femtosecond to microsecond time region after they are generated in the photoredox reactions. With the assistance of density functional theory calculations to simulate the electronic absorption and Raman spectra, the structural and kinetic information on the key reactive intermediates is described. Furthermore, the reaction pathways were calculated by finding the transition states connecting with the reactant and product complexes to better understand the photoredox reaction mechanism. In this Account, we summarize some of our time-resolved spectroscopic observations and characterization of water-assisted photoredox reactions of selected BPs and AQs. In the strong hydrogen-donor solvent isopropanol, the commonly studied photoreduction reaction for aromatic carbonyls via an intermolecular hydrogen atom tranfer process was observed for BPs and AQs. The photoredox reactions for the investigated BPs and AQs in aqueous environments occur on the triplet excited-state surface. Under moderately acidic aqueous conditions, the photoredox reactions for BPs and AQs are triggered by a proton transfer (PT) pathway. In neutral aqueous solutions, AQs may also undergo proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) leading to the photoredox reaction, while BPs generate the ketyl radical species. Both BPs and AQs prefer the photohydration reaction in high-proton-concentration aqueous solutions (pH 0). The PT and PCET processes were found to offer more possibilities for the aromatic carbonyl compounds to lead to new photochemical reactions like the unusual photoredox reactions associated with BPs and AQs described here. Clear characterization of the photophysical pathways and the photochemical reactions of representative aromatic carbonyl compounds in aqueous environments not only provides fundamental information to better understand the photochemistry of carbonyl-containing compounds but also will facilitate the development of applications of these systems, like photochemical synthesis, drugs, and photolabile protecting groups. In addition, the importance of water molecules in the photochemical reactions of interest here may also lead to further understanding of how water influences the photochemistry of related carbonyl-containing compounds in aqueous environments.