PHOTOELECTRON TRANSFER INDUCED DECARBOXYLATION OF SUBSTITUTED CARBOXYLIC-ACIDS ACROSS A LIQUID LIQUID INTERFACE/

Methylene blue photocatalyzed electron transfer reactions of some phen oxyacetic acid derivatives and N-phenylglycine across a liquid/liquid interface led to their efficient decarboxylation. Nanosecond laser fla sh photolysis studies of this process. in a reverse micellar system of Aerosol-OT (AOT)-benzene-water indicated that the liquid/liquid inter face acts as a barrier in controlling the energy wasting back electron transfer. Intramolecular C-C bond forming reactions of these radicals were utilized for the synthesis of various chroman derivatives. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ltd.