Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Regioselective trans-cis photoisomerization of m-styrylstilbenes

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00209a031· OSTI ID:7004335

Trans-cis photoisomerization of m-styrylstilbenes, i.e., 2,4,6-triisopropyl-3'-styrylstilbene (TISS), 2,4,6-trimethyl-3'-styrylstilbene (TMSS), and 3-styrylstilbene (SS), and of stilbenes, i.e., 2,4,6-triisopropylstilbene (TIS), 2,4,6-trimethylstilbene (TMS), and stilbene (S), are studied under direct of benzophenone-sensitized irradiation in hexane. Measurements of quantum yields of isomerization have revealed that although the styrylstilbene molecule bears two styryl groups, the reaction is highly regioselective, depending upon the excitation conditions and reactant structures. For example, isomerization of trans, trans-TISS and trans,cis-TISS occurred either at the 2,4,6-trisubstituted styryl side upon direct excitation or at the unstubstituted styryl side upon sensitized excitation. When the starting material carries an unsubstituted cis-styryl group, the major isomerization always occurred at this moiety by either direct or sensitized excitation, e.g., cis,trans-TISS ..-->.. trans,trans-TISS, cis,cis-TISS ..-->.. trans,cis-TISS, and cis,trans-SS ..-->.. trans,trans-SS. Furthermore, the photoisomerization of cis,cis-SS was found to be one-way. These results are interpreted in terms of the usual energy sink concept: the excited-state energies (E/sub S/ and E/sub T/) of the stilbene chromophores depend on molecular distortion in a subtle manner.

Research Organization:
Kyoto Univ. (Japan)
OSTI ID:
7004335
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 110:1; ISSN JACSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English