Photolysis of the 3,4-Epoxy-2-methyl-1-phenylbutan-1-ones and stereochemical assignment of the 3,4-Epoxy-2-methyl-1-phenylbutan-1-ols and 2-Methyl-1-phenylbut-3-en-1-ols

Abstract

The stereochemistry of the diastereoisomeric 2-methyl-1-phenylbut-3-en- 1-ols, 3,4-epoxy-2-methyl-1-phenylbutan-1-ols and 3,4-epoxy-2-methyl-1- phenylbutan-1-ones have been established. In the photolysis of the 3,4- epoxy-2-methyl-1-phenylbutan-1-ones the steric interaction between the C2-methyl and the C1-substituents determines the stereochemistry of cyclization of the initially produced orthogonal 1,4-biradical intermediates.