Radical ions in photochemistry. Sensitised (electron-transfer) photochemical reactions of some 1-phenylcycloalkenes in polar, nucleophilic solvents

Abstract

Irradiation of 1-phenylcyclopentene, 1-phenylcyclohexane, and 2-phenylnorbornene in methanol, acetic acid-dioxan, and aqueous acetonitrile solution, with methyl p-cyanobenzoate or 1-cyanonaphthalene as sensitiser (electron-transfer), gives fair to good yields of the product resulting from anti-Markovnikov addition of the nucleophilic solvent to the olefin.