Gas-Phase Photolysis of Sulfoxides. Tetramethylene Sulfoxide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100448a002

The reaction channels exhibited during the gas-phase photolysis of tetramethylene sulfoxide (TMSO) have been characterized.Whereas photolysis in the liquid phase produces no hydrocarbon products, photolysis in the gas phase produces ethylene, propylene, cyclopropane, 1-butene, cyclobutane, and small amounts of butadiene.The results are interpreted in terms of a mechanism which involves initial rupture of a C-S bond to form a diradical intermediate.The product composition appears to depend upon the internal energy content of the initially formed diradical.The results are compared to those for cyclopentanone photolysis.