Photolysis of Triphenylacetic Acid and Its Methyl Ester: A Novel Photochemical Generation of Carbene Intermediates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.63.3345

The photolysis of methyl triphenylacetate in methanol gave biphenyl, methyl α-methoxyphenylacetate, methyl benzoate, and methoxydiphenylmethane.The formation of these products suggests that two types of α,α-elimination take place: One is the elimination of two phenyl groups leaving Ph-C<*>-CO2Me (type a), and the other is the elimination of the phenyl and methoxycarbonyl groups generating Ph2C: (type b).Only type a elimination was efficiently quenched by oxygen.