| Abstract: | Photochemical reactions of N-vinylcarbazole (VCZ), studied in various solvents, were profoundly influenced by the atmosphere. In the deaerated system radical polymerization of VCZ occurred in various solvents, e.g., tetrahydrofuran, acetone, ethyl methyl ketone, acetonitrile, methanol, sulfolane, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). By contrast, when dissolved oxygen was present, cyclodimerization of VCZ occurred exclusively to give trans-1,2-dicarbazole-9-yl-cyclobutane in such polar, basic solvents as acetone, ethyl methyl ketone, acetonitrile or methanol. In stronger basic solvents, i.e., sulfolane, DMF, or DMSO, simultaneous radical polymerization and cyclodimerization of VCZ proceeded, the ratio of the cyclodimerization to the radical polymerization decreasing in the order, sulfolane > DMF > DMSO. In dichloromethane, on the other hand, cationic polymerization of VCZ occurred irrespective of the atmosphere. It is suggested that oxygen acts as an electron acceptor to the excited VCZ, electron transfer occurring in polar solvents from the excited VCZ to oxygen to give transient VCZ cation radical. The effect of solvent basicity on the photocyclodimerization of VCZ is discussed. |
