Efficient photodecarboxylation of 3- and 4-acetylphenylacetic acids in aqueous solution

The photochemistry of 3- and 4-acetylphenylacetic acids (6 and 7) has been studied in aqueous solution. This work is a continuation of research efforts aimed at understanding the structural effects on the efficacy for benzyl carbanion photogeneration via photodecarboxylation. The nitro group (at the 3- and 4-positions) is known to be an exceptionally good activating group on the benzene ring — because of its enhanced electron-withdrawing effect in the excited triplet state — for photodecarboxylation and the related photo-retro-aldol type process. It is shown in this work that the acetyl group is an equally good activating group for the photodecarboxylation. Thus, the photochemistry of 6 and 7 parallels much of what was observed for the corresponding nitrophenylacetic acids 1 and 2. Both 6 and 7 photodecarboxylate efficiently (Φd = 0.60 and 0.22, respectively, at pH 7) via the carboxylate form, to give observable (by laser flash photolysis) benzyl carbanion or related intermediates. The meta isomer 6 displays an acid-catalyzed pathway for photodecarboxylation at pH < 3 and along with its enhanced overall reactivity, is consistent with a meta effect of the acetyl group. Triplet state reactivity is inferred from sensitization and laser flash photolysis experiments. Based on the results of this work, the acetyl group may now be viewed as an "enhanced" electron-withdrawing group (in the excited state) when attached to a benzene ring (i.e., in acetophenone derivatives) that is capable of inducing ionic reactions, which is not the traditional photochemistry that is expected from such compounds.Key words: photodecarboxylation, acid catalysis, acetophenone, photogenerated carbanion, enol, enolate.