2?+?2 Dimerization of cinnamylidene malonic acid: A structural and kinetic study

Cinnamylidene malonic acid was synthesized and its crystal structure obtained. The dicarboxylic acid hydrogen-bonding motif of this structure consists of catemer chains that lie along the c- glide plane. A photo induced 2?+?2 cycloaddition occurred upon exposure of the crystals to UV light which resulted in the destruction of the crystal. The structure of the photo products were determined by IR and NMR analysis. The regio- and stereo-chemistry of the photoproduct can be rationalized by examining the relative orientation and symmetry relating reacting molecules within the crystal structure. A kinetic study demonstrated first order reaction kinetics which is consistent with a reaction occurring under topochemical control.