Stable cis dialkyldiazenes (azoalkanes): cis-di-1-adamantyldiazene and cis-di-1-norbornyldiazene

Triplet Energy Dissipation in Methylenecyclopropane Rearrangement

Certain 1,1-dimethyl-2-aryl-3-methylenecyclopropanes containing carbonyl substituents undergo rearrangement when irradiated with 350 nm light. These rearrangements occur via the (n,pi*) triplet state, which fragments the strained cyclopropane bond. Intersystem crossing followed by ring closure gives the observed products. No photoreduction is seen in i-PrOH. Potential Norrish type II processes are also bypassed. It is suggested that the cyclopropane bond fragmentation dissipates the triplet energy and that the new intermediates are not energetic enough to abstract hydrogen atoms in an intramolecular fashion or from solvent. Nitro substituted systems undergo analogous photoinitiated rearrangements. Benzophenone sensitization of naphthyl, biphenyl, styrene, and phenylacetylene analogues also leads to rearrangement, presumably via the sensitized generation of triplet states. When triplet states cannot be accessed by direct irradiation or by sensitized processes, methylenecyclopropane rearrangements do not occur. An exception is the ferrocenyl analogue, which does not photorearrange, presumably due to the very short lifetime of the triplet intermediate.

Synthesis of bisbicyclo[1.1.1]pentyldiazene. The smallest bridgehead diazene

Bisbicyclo[1.1.1]pentyldiazene, the smallest bicyclic azo compound, has been synthesized from the precursor [1.1.1]propellane via synthesis of N,N'-bis(bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl)sulfamide and azoxybicyclo[1.1.1]pentane. The UV absorption of this diazene at 382 nm indicates that the compound is the trans isomer. Conversion to the cis isomer by irradiation was not possible because of attainment of a photostationary state. However, on the basis of the photochemical studies, the absorption of the cis-[1.1.1] isomer is estimated to be 384 nm.