In the high-intensity laser-jet (LJ) photolysis of
9-(phenoxymethyl)anthracene (1a) and
9,10-bis(phenoxymethyl)anthracene (1b) multiple-photon chemistry
was observed. Thus, while the [4 + 4] photodimer
8a
was formed as the one-photon product in the low-intensity
conventional photolysis of monoether 1a, the
high-intensity irradiation in the laser-jet yielded
1,2-bis(9-anthracenyl)ethane (3a), lepidopterene
(4a), biplanene (5a),
9-(chloromethyl)anthracene (6a), and
9-(methoxymethyl)anthracene (7a) as main products.
The product distribution
depended on the solvent used: after C−O homolysis of the ether
1a, for which at least two photons are required,
the
resulting arylmethyl radical 2a dimerizes in benzene, in
methylene chloride it engages in photoinduced electron
transfer, while in methanol it undergoes photoionization. With the
help of time-resolved laser-flash photolysis of
the monoether 1a it was confirmed that the homolysis of the
C−O bond leads to the 9-anthracenylmethyl radical
2a.
The authentic radical 2a was generated independently by
time-resolved pulse radiolysis and laser-flash photolysis
of
9-(bromomethyl)anthracene. Analogous to the monoether
1a, the bisether 1b gave under the high intensity
conditions
of the laser-jet irradiation tetrabenzo[2.2]paracyclophane
(3b), its photodimer (5b),
9,10-(bischloromethyl)anthracene
(6b), and 9-(chloromethyl)-10-(phenoxymethyl)anthracene
(9b); their distribution depended also on the solvent
used.
Mechanistic pathways are offered for these multiple-photon
processes.