Role of steric hindrance in photoinduced proton transfer from solvent to excited molecules of 1,2-dihydroquinolines

It was shown that the photolysis of 1,2,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (126TMDHQ) in water, methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol affords the corresponding adducts of water and the alcohols, unlike the case of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinolines bearing the methyl, alkoxyl, and hydroxyl substituents in the 1-, 6-, and 8-positions, which were previously found to form adducts only in the presence of water and MeOH. The quantum yield of the 126TMDQ photolysis (Φ) in this solvent series changes as Φ_MeOH:Φ_EtOH:Φ_PrOH = 10:3:1. The results were rationalized in terms of the effect of steric hindrance caused by substituents on the heterocycle and increasing size of the alcohol alkyl group on proton transfer from the solvent to the 1,2-dihydroquinoline molecule in the excited singlet state. The existence of two adduct isomers was revealed. The preferential formation of one of the isomers was considered from the standpoint of carbocation accessibility to the solvent by nucleophilic attack.