[2+2] Photocycloaddition of 2‐Morpholinoprop‐2‐enenitrile to Perinaphthenone

Perinaphthenone (=1H‐phenalen‐1‐one), known for efficient population of its T₁ (π,π*) state and suggested as a standard sensitizer for singlet oxygen (¹Δg) formation, forms a single stereoisomer of a head‐to‐tail 2+2] photoadduct across its C(2)=C(3) bond with 2‐morpholinoprop‐2‐enenitrile in benzene by broad band UV excitation (λ≥280 nm). The reaction is advantageously run to low conversion of starting materials only. The structure of the adduct, especially the relative configuration at C(9), has been derived from ¹H‐NMR data including NOE signal enhancement studies.