Photo-Fries rearrangement of 1-pyrenyl esters

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.tetlet.2017.10.007

Photo-Fries rearrangement reactions of 1-pyrenyl esters were investigated. Photoreaction of 1-pyrenyl benzoate in benzene generates 1-hydroxy-2-pyrenyl phenyl ketone along with 1-pyrenol. The exceptionally down field ¹H NMR chemical shift of OH proton in the photoproduct indicates the existence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Photorearrangements of analogs that have electron-withdrawing or electron-releasing group on the phenyl ring, and related heteroaromatic carboxylates also take place to form the corresponding ketones. However, photoreactions of 1-pyrenyl aliphatic carboxylate esters do not occur. The results of spectroscopic and theoretical studies suggest the mechanistic pathway for this process is initiated by homolytic C–O bond cleavage in an aroyl group localized ¹(π → π^?) excited state of the 1-pyrenyl esters. The radical pair generated in this fashion then undergoes in-solvent-cage coupling to yield the 1-hydroxy-2-pyrenyl aryl ketone selectively.