Biphotonic generation of carbenes and carbocations by laser flash photolysis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(95)02416-6

In protic solvents, trans-2,3-diphenylaziridinylimines of diaryl ketones are (flash-)photolyzed in two consecutive steps, via diaryldiazomethanes and diarylcarbenes, to give eventually diarylmethyl cations. The same intermediates arise from diazo ketones by way of Wolff rearrangement and ketene photolysis. The method has been used to demonstrate the protonation of fluorenylidene by hexafluoroisopropanol.