The photochemistry of ring-substituted cinnamyl acetates

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The photochemistry of the (E)-cinnamyl acetates ((E)-1-aryl-3-propenyl acetates, 8a–8e) with substituents H, 4-CH3O, 3-CH3O, 4-CF3, and 3-CF3, respectively, was examined in both cyclohexane and methanol solvents. Alkene isomerization (E to Z) occurred more efficiently than other reactions and evidence is presented that this process occurs from the excited triplet state. In a slower process, 1,3-migration of the acetoxy group led to the rearranged 3-aryl-3-propenyl acetate isomers (9a–9e) as the major pathway, particularly in cylohexane. In methanol, the isomeric ethers 3-aryl-3-methoxypropene (14) and 1-aryl-3-methoxypropene (15) were formed by reaction of methanol with the photochemically generated cation. The combined yield of 14 and 15 (95% and 5%, respectively) was quantitative for the 4-methoxyphenyl compound (8b). Independent irradiations of the isomers 9a–9c demonstrated that the ethers 14 and 15 were primary photoproducts from 8 and not secondary photoproducts from 9. Fluorescence quantum yields and excited singlet state lifetimes indicated that the reactions, other than the E to Z isomerization, are from the excited singlet state.Key words: cinnamyl acetates, photochemistry, E/Z isomerization, photocleavage, fluorescence.