Studies on the Photodimerization of Isoeugenol

Under the irradiation of the ultraviolet light, Isoeugenol (I) undergoes dimerization in acetone to give diisoeugenol (II) and dehydrodiisoeugenol (III). The structures are determined by the comparison of the mixed m. p., I. R. spectra and T. L. C. with synthesized authentic samples. Also the photoreaction mechanism is discussed in detail. The reaction represents a new type and as an exception of photochemical process for the C=C double bond in conjugation with aromatic ring that generally dimerizes to produce cyclobutane type derivatives.