Dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of 1,2-cyclohexanediones

The dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of the enols of 1,2-cyclohexanedione (1) has been carried out in various solvents at -70°-40°. Singlet oxygen is involved in the reaction as evidenced by quenching and rate enhancement observed in deuterated methanol. The reaction proceeds by an ene reaction with singlet oxygen to afford the hydroperoxide, 4, which closes to a five-membered endoperoxide, 5, as a major path or to dioxetane (6) as a minor one. The endoperoxide, 5, decomposed to 5-oxoalkanoic acid (2) with evolution of carbon monoxide or was trapped by the solvent (MeOH or EtOH) to give methyl or ethyl 5-carboxy-2-hydroxypentanoate (3). Competition between the enol of 3-methyl-1,2-cyclohexanedione (1a) and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene (TME) has shown that the enol is as reactive as TME toward singlet oxygen.