• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2003

How stereo selectivity in singlet and triplet photocycloaddition and photocyclization reactions, respectively, is linked to spin selectivity and how this link affects our understanding of photochemical reaction mechanisms, is described in this review. As illustrative examples, the Paterno-Buchi reaction and the Norrish-Yang cyclization are described with emphasis on triplet biradical structure and dynamics.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.83-85
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• 2005

Photochemical reactivities of ${\beta}-ethoxypropiophenones$ are changed dramatically by putting a halogen at a position to the carbonyl functionality. ${\alpha}-Bromo-{\beta}-ethoxypropiophenone$ gives C-Br bond cleavage products solely, but ${\alpha}-chloro-{\beta}-ethoxypropiophenone$ forms mainly the Yang photocyclization products upon irradiation. The different reactivities of two compounds can be explained by relative rates of C-X bond cleavage and a-hydrogen abstraction.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.11 no.32
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• pp.75-76
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• 2004

${\alpha}$,${\alpha}$-Dibromovalerophenone and ${\alpha}$,${\alpha}$-dichlorovalerophenone were prepared and their photochemical behaviors were investigated. The former gives C-Br cleavage products and the latter gives mainly the Yang photocyclization products upon irradiation. The reactivity of the chlorine substituted ketone turned out to be quite different from that of ${\alpha}$,${\alpha}$-difluorovalerophenone which gives both the cyclization and elimination products from the 1,4-biradical intermediate.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1156-1158
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• 2007

Valerophenone shows a dramatic shift of photoreactivity by a cyclopropyl group at alpha position to the carbonyl group. By the minor change of structure, the diastereoselectivity of the Yang photocyclization is reversed and the ratio of cyclization to elimination products increases significantly.