Photochemistry of benzoin acetate in cyclodextrin media

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)60340-4

Photolyses of benzoin acetate 1 in organic solvents produce a non-selective mixture of type I products (3-5) and photocyclization product 2, while in aqeous cyclodextrin (CD) solutions and in solid CD complexes, a remarkable selectivity for photocyclization product 2 is observed. A Cage effect has been invoked to rationalize the unusual alteration of photobehaviour of 1 by CD.