1,2,4-Triazoles—XXXIII: Photodimerization of some sym-di(3-s-triazolo-[4,3-a]pyridyl)-alkanes and related derivatives

Irradiation of 3,3'-[ethane-1,2-diyl]bis-[1,2,4-triazolo-[4,3-a]pyridine] at 300 nm gave the cisoid-fused cyclobutane dimer 5aα,5bα-10bα,10cα-tetrahydro-1,10-ethano-2,3,8,9,10a,10d-hexaazadicyclopenta[a,i]biphenylene. Under the same conditions 3,3'-[propane-1,3-diyl]bis-[1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine] gave the corresponding cyclobutane dimer, 5aα,5bα,10bα,10cα-tetrahydro-1,10-propano-2,3,8,9,10a,10d-hexaazadicyclopenta[a,i]biphenylene whereas at 254 nm the photoproduct obtained had the “cage-like” structure 3b,3c,3d,3e,6b,6c,6d,6e-octahydro-3, 4-propano-1,2,3a,3f,5,6-hexaazadicyclobuta[def,jkl]dicyclopenta[b,h]biphenylene. Replacement of the hydrocarbon linkage with the oxybis(methylene) or a thiobis(methylene) unit and irradiation at 300 nm gave the corresponding cisoid-fused, cyclobutane dimers only. The effect of methyl substituents in the pyridine ring of the bicyclic system on the dimerization process was also studied.