Temperature-Dependent Photoreactivity of 2-Azidomethylbenzophenone: Insights into the Triplet Imine Biradical Pathway.

Photoenols, formed through photoinduced intramolecular H atom abstraction in -alkyl-substituted arylketones, typically have limited utility as reactive intermediates owing to fast reversion to the starting material. Herein, we introduced an azido group on the -alkyl substituent to render the photoreaction irreversible. Irradiation of 2-azidomethylbenzophenone () in methanol yielded 2-(hydroxy(phenyl)methyl)benzonitrile ().