Photolysis of N-arylsulphonyl-SS-dimethylsulphoximides in aromatic solvents. Photoisomerisation of methylbiphenyls

Abstract

Photolysis of the title compounds in benzene or toluene gives biphenyls in reasonable yields, probably via aryl radicals. o- and m-Methylbiphenyl are photoisomerised to give mixtures of the three isomers in which the meta-isomer predominates; the para-isomer is photostable under these conditions as are the terphenyls. No sulphonylnitrenes were formed in these reactions.