Photochemical Reactions of Nitroanthracene Derivatives in Fluid Solutions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00332a041

The photochemical reaction of nitroanthracenes (9-cyano or 9-benzoyl-10-nitroanthracene) is very simple, giving the final photoproducts (10-cyano-9-anthrol or its anion and 10-benzoyl-9-anthrol or its anion) under appropriate conditions. It is suggested that irradiation gives rise to the nitro to nitrite rearrangement at the higher excited triplet n?^* states, followed by cleavage of nitrites to anthryloxy radicals and nitrogen(II) oxide.