EFFICIENT PHOTOCHEMICAL OXETANE FORMATION FROM 1-METHYL-2,4,5-TRIPHENYLIMIDAZOLE AND BENZOPHENONES
In contrast to simple imidazoles, 1-methyl-2,4,5-triphenylimidazole (1) produced stable oxetane photoadducts 3b-e with good efficiency upon irradiation in the presence of benzophenone derivatives 2b-e in acetonitrile solution.Irradiation in the solid-phase was also studied.The oxetanes 3b-e readily underwent cycloreversion by acid catalysis or by heating.