Unusual redox behavior in the photoinduced electron-transfer reactions of amino ketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00049a010

Irradiation of a wet benzene solution of 1,2-diphenyl-2-piperidino-l-ethanone and 9,10-dicyanoanthracene leads to the formation of benzil and deoxybenzoin. We have interpreted these products as arising from deprotonation leading to net oxidation coupled with reductive elimination. The latter pathway is noteworthy in that we show reductive elimination of an electron donor can be a chief consequence of photochemical single electron transfer (SET) quenching.