The photochemistry of 1-cyano-2,3-benzobicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4,7-triene
The title compound (10) was prepared, along with the 4-cyano isomer (11), by the direct irradiation of 5-cyanobenzocyclooctatetraene (9); the yields were 82% (Φ10 = 0.0030) and 12% (Φ11 = 0.0004) respectively. Triene 10 was thermally and photochemically reactive. Heating solutions of 10 at 150 °C for 1 h gave COT 9 quantitatively. On direct irradiation 10 forms 5-cyanobenzosemibullvalene (12; 5%, Φ = 0.019), COT 9 (70%, Φ = 0.56), and 1-cyanonaphthalene (14%, Φ = 0.078). Sensitized irradiation of 10 gave 9 exclusively (92%, Φ = 0.88). COT 9 was also produced by the direct irradiation of semibullvalene 12 (75%, Φ = 0.13). Studies with deuterium labelled 10 suggest that the photoformation of COT 9 involves a simple electrocyclic opening of the cyclobutene ring of the triene. Additionally, the labelling results indicate that the formation of semibullvalene 12 from 10 derives from the operation of two reaction pathways, the major one of which appears to be a Zimmerman di-π-methane rearrangement. The mechanism proposed for the minor pathway to 12 has not been observed in other bicyclo[4.2.0]octatrienes. Key words: mechanisms, rearrangements, photochemistry, di-π-methane.