Photochemical Synthesis of 2-Alkylidene-4-pyrrolin-3-ones

Irradiation (λ =313 nm) of the 4-pyrrolin-3-ones 1a–1c in acetone-, 3-pentanone-and cyclopentanone solution affords the title compounds 2 , formally via H-abstrac-tion by the excited ketone and recombination of the radical pair formed.