A photo-oxide of the 1,2? dimer of the 2,4,5-triphenylimidazolyl (lophyl) radical

Abstract

The 4,5-epidioxide of 2,4,5-triphenyl-1-(2,4,5-triphenyl-2H-imidazol-2-yl)imidazole is obtained by methylene blue sensitised photo-oxidation at –50 °C; it undergoes isomerisation, reduction, and degradation reactions, leading inter alia to 2-benzoyl-1,2-dihydro-2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine and 1,3a,4(6),6a-tetrahydro-2,3a,5,6a-tetraphenylimidazo[4,5-d]imidazole.