PHOTOLYSIS OF (N.2.2)PROPELLANONES INVOLVING A CYCLOBUTANONE RING

Photolysis of [n.2.2]propellanones (5) and (6) involving a cyclobutanone ring in methanol afforded the cycloelimination products 7 and 9 in good yields, especially in the case of highly strained [3.2.2]propellanone (6), via α-cleavage in the direction leading to the less favorable acyl-alkyl radical pair.