Triplet diphenylcarbenes protected by o-Aryl groups

Diphenyldiazomethanes (2a-N(2)) having phenyl groups at the ortho positions were prepared and the corresponding diphenylcarbenes (2a) photolytically generated from them were characterized not only by the traditional product analysis method but also by ESR and UV/vis spectroscopy in a rigid organic matrix at low temperature and in laser flash photolysis in solution at room temperature. Product analysis indicated that fluorenes 4a are formed almost exclusively. Fluorene is most likely produced by the attack of singlet carbene (1)2a on an ortho carbon of the phenyl substituent to generate isofluorene, followed by 1,5-H shift. Irradiation of 2a-N(2) in a 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) matrix at 77 K gave ESR signals ascribable to triplet carbenes ((3)2a). UV/vis spectra of (3)2a were obtained by irradiating 2a-N(2) under identical conditions. However, laser flash photolysis (LFP) of 2a-N(2) in degassed benzene at room temperature showed transient absorption bands completely different from those observed in photolysis in the 2-MTHF matrix at 77 K. The transient band decayed in first-order with a rate constant of 7.6 x 10(4) s(-1), which was not retarded by deuterium substitution of o-phenyl hydrogens. Essentially the same transient band was observed in LFP of fluorene 4a. The LFP of 2a-N(2) in nondegassed benzene gave transient absorption bands ascribable to triplet carbene (3)2a and the corresponding carbonyl oxide. The quenching rate constant of (3)2a by oxygen and the lifetime of (3)2a in the absence of oxygen were estimated by plotting the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant of the formation of the carbonyl oxide against the concentration of oxygen. They were 1.9 x 10(7) M(-1)s(-1) and 16 micros, respectively. Similar studies with diphenyldiazomethanes having a series of substituents (4-Ph, 3,5-(CF(3))(2), and 2-F) on the ortho-phenyl rings gave essentially identical results, indicating that those substituents exhibit little effect on overall reaction pathway. From those studies, it is suggested that triplet carbenes (3)2 are also trapped by the ortho-phenyl ring to give eventually fluorenes.