The report that the
central bond photoisomerization of the 1,3,5-hexatrienes
(Hts) is highly inefficient has encouraged theoreticians to seek conical
intersections (CIs) at geometries that can explain rapid nonradiative
return to the initially excited isomer. Because they are photochemically
silent, torsional relaxations about the terminal double bonds of the
Hts have not been evaluated as significant radiationless decay pathways.
Study of the photoisomerization of trans,trans,trans- and trans,cis,trans-1,6-dideuterio-1,3,5-hexatrienes
(ttt- and tct-Htd2) addresses
this issue. Degassed cyclohexane-d
12 (C6D12) and CD3CN solutions were irradiated
at 254 nm in quartz NMR tubes, and the progress of the reactions was
followed by 1H NMR. Photoisomerization rates based on the
integration of terminal hydrogen NMR peaks are in reasonable agreement
with rates obtained by fitting pure isomer NMR spectra to the phase
shift and baseline corrected experimental NMR spectra. The results
show that terminal bond isomerization is highly efficient, especially
when one considers that central bond isomerization is much more efficient
than previously reported and is mainly observed together with terminal
bond isomerization. A mechanism involving terminal one-bond-twist
(OBT) in competition with a bicycle pedal (BP) process accounts for
all terminal and most central bond photoisomerization. OBT central
bond isomerization is a minor reaction that is observed primarily
in the tct to ttt direction. Most surprising is the prominent role
of the BP process in central bond photoisomerization. Proposed initially
to account for photoisomerization in free volume constraining media,
it is observed here in the absence of medium constraints.