PHOTOLYSIS OF THE TOXAPHENE COMPONENT 2,2,3-EXO,5,5,8,9,9,10,10-DECACHLOROBORNANE

Four major photoproducts of the toxaphene component 2,2,3-exo,5,5,8,9, 9,10,10-decachlorobornane irradiated in n-hexane at 254 nm have been i solated and their structure has been characterized. re main photolytic reactions were vicinal dichloro elimination, reductive dechlorination , and isomerization. Three products still have a bornane skeleton with seven or eight chlorines, respectively. As a fourth, a heptachlorotri cyclene has been formed via a photoisomerization reaction. The structu ral elucidation of the isolated compounds has been carried out by spec troscopic methods. Furthermore, a possible transformation pathway is d iscussed.