Structural transformations in crystals induced by radiation and pressure. Part 5. The influence of pressure on the course of the photochemical reaction in crystals of 2,6-difluorocinnamic acid

Abstract

The [2 + 2] photodimerization of 2,6-difluorocinnamic acid was gradually induced in crystals by UV radiation at 0.5, 1.1 and 2.1 GPa. The crystal and molecular structures were determined before the photochemical reaction and for many of its steps. For the pure monomer structures, the following parameters were analyzed in order to gain knowledge of the influence of pressure on the reaction environment: (a) the volume of free space, (b) the geometry of close intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonds and (c) the geometry of intermolecular reactivity parameters. The following structural changes brought about by the [2 + 2] photodimerization at high pressure were monitored step-by-step: (a) the cell parameters and the cell volume, (b) the content of the monomer and the dimer, (c) the distance between the reactive carbon atoms in adjacent monomer molecules and (d) the geometry of mutual orientation of molecules in the crystals. The rate of the [2 + 2] photodimerization of 2,6-difluorocinnamic acid increased as follows: 0.1 MPa < 0.5 GPa < 1.1 GPa ≤ 2.1 GPa. This was rationalized by the decrease in the volume of free space columns protecting the intermolecular geometry suitable for the reaction and by the decrease of the distance between the reactive carbon atoms of adjacent monomer molecules.