PHOTOLYSIS OF 2-METHYLCYCLOHEXANONE

The photolysis of 2-methylcyclohexanone at 3130 Å in both the gas and liquid phase has been critically reexamined. Contrary to an earlier report, both trans- and cis-5-heptenaI are obtained as major products. Separate photolysis of various mixtures of the product aldehydes established that these geometric isomers are not readily interconverted under the reaction conditions. It can therefore be concluded that the unsaturated aldehydes are formed in both the gas and liquid phase by a nonstereospecific, presumably diradical, process. In photolysis of the ketone, a lower limit 50-fold preference for cleavage of the C1-C2 over the C1-C6 bond was established. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.