Photochemical studies on aromatic γ,δ-epoxy ketones: efficient synthesis of benzocyclobutanones and indanones.

Irradiation of terminal aromatic γ,δ-epoxy ketones with a 450 W UV lamp led to Norrish type II cyclization/semi-pinacol rearrangement cascade reaction which formed the benzocyclobutanones containing a full-carbon quaternary center, whereas irradiation of substituted aromatic γ,δ-epoxy ketones led to the indanones through a photochemical epoxy rearrangement and 1,5-biradicals cyclization tandem reaction. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012