An optically active cyclopropene as a mechanistic probe in cyclopropene photochemistry

Abstract

The photochemistry of methyl 1-methyl-2-phenylcyclopropene-3-carboxylate has been examined in both the racemic and optically active forms. In the excited singlet the cyclopropene is converted to 2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-phenylfuran whereas the triplet state dimerizes to a tricyclohexane derivative. Experiments with optically active cyclopropene ester demonstrate that photochemical racemization occurs about 2.5 times as fast as conversion to the furan product indicating that there is an intermediate vinyl carbene on the singlet surface. No racemization is observed in the triplet state.