Induced diastereoselectivity in photodecarboxylation of 2-phenylpropionic acid in faujasite zeolites

Abstract Irradiation of 2-phenylpropionic acid in various cation-exchanged faujasites leads to predominant formation of dl -2,3-diphenylbutane over the meso -isomer (in marked contrast to photolysis in isotropic media) and this zeolite-induced diastereoselectivity is attributed to steric and electronic factors.