P. Mazellier et al., THE AQUEOUS PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF 2,6-DIMETHYLPHENOL - EVIDENCE FOR THE FRAGMENTATION OF THE ALPHA-C-C BOND, Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. A, Chemistry, 115(2), 1998, pp. 117-121
A study of the photochemical behaviour of 2,6-dimethylphenol in aerate
d aqueous solution upon excitation at 270 nm has been undertaken. High
-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses indicated the prima
ry formation of 2,6-dimethylbenzoquinone and the para-para coupling di
mer as major products; two isomeric products resulting from ct C-C sci
ssion were also observed. They account for about 20% of the conversion
. Only the dimer was observed when the irradiation was carried out und
er deaerated conditions. The photoreaction has been shown to result fr
om an electron ejection process leading to phenoxyl radical and solvat
ed electron. The results indicate that O-2(.-) and HO2- are among the
species involved in the formation of the oxidized products and particu
larly those arising from the cleavage of the aromatic ring. (C) 1998 E
lsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.