Abstract: | Irradiation of benzofurazan ( 1 ) in benzene solution yields the azepine derivative 3 as the main photoproduct. Addition of methanol in the dark to the irradiated benzene solution of 1 results in the isolation of 3 together with a new product, methyl-1-cis, 3-cis-N-(4-cyano-buta-1, 3-dien-1-yl)-carbamate (1-cis, 3-cis- 2 ). Irradiation of 1 in methanol solution gives a mixture of the stereoisomeric methyl N-(4-cyano-buta-1, 3-dien-1-yl)-carbamates, from which the 1-trans, 3-cis isomer of 2 could be isolated in pure form. The observed photoproducts are formed via the reactive intermediates a , a nitrile-(nitrile oxide), and c , a nitrene, neither of which was isolated. |