A dual pathway in the solid‐state photoreaction of nitrobenzaldehydes with indole

Abstract

Abstract The solid‐state photoreaction of the mixed crystals between nitrobenzaldehydes and indole was found to give nitrophenyl‐(bis‐3‐indolyl)methane ( 3 ) and nitrophenyl‐(3‐indolyl)methanol ( 4 ). The structure of the ortho isomer 4c was established by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. A dual pathway from an oxetane intermediate 5 is proposed for the formation of 3 and 4 .