Vacuum ultraviolet photochemistry of tetrahydrothiophene and sulfolane

The vacuum uv photolysis of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) involves the breaking of the S to ..cap alpha..-C bond. Besides ethylene, C/sub 3/H/sub 6/ and 1,3-butadiene are also formed. Photolyses of THT, tetrahydrofuran, and pyrrolidine are similar. The vacuum uv photolysis of tetramethylene sulfone (sulfolane) was also studied; products are SO/sub 2/, cyclobutane, 1-butene, and ethylene. No cis-2-butene was observed. (DLC)