State-Selective Photochemistry from the Higher Excited States of Methylbenzaldehydes: Intermolecular vs. Intramolecular Hydrogen Abstraction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00316a016

We have found that the hydrogen abstraction reactions of 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde and 2,4-dimethylbenzaldehyde, each isolated in durene single crystals, do not occur via either of the lowest two triplet states but take place primarily through excited states above the singlet origins.The reactions can be directed to give different products by changing the wavelength of the photolyzing light.