Photolyses of Polychloro- and Polybromobenzenes. Novel Isomerization in Solvents Resisting against Hydrogen Abstraction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.65.2926

Polychloro- and polybromobenzenes were photolyzed in acetonitrile and perfluorohexane.Photolyses of polychlorobenzenes in acetonitrile gave isomerized products in addition to dechlorinated products, which appeared exclusively in the photolyses in hexane and other solvents carrying hydrogen atoms active to hydrogen abstraction.The photolyses in perfluorohexane gave isomerized products to a lesser extent.The reaction in this solvent gave predominantly polyhalobiphenyls which are assumed to be produced through coupling.Without exception the isomerized products have the structure which can be expected to be formed via 1,3-migration of chlorine atom, though it is not sure at present whether it takes place actually.The isomerization was shown to proceed intramolecularly.Some evidence and theoretical rationalization in favor of the 1.3-chlorine migration mechanism are given.