Norbornadienes photocyclization

Like the cyclization of the parent system, the photocyclization of hetero analogues of norbornadiene was reported many years ago. Recent interest in this area will serve to illustrate the potential of the conversions. Thus the irradiation of the oxanorbomadiene system 259 brings about conversion to the oxepine 260138. The formation of 260 presumably arises by quadricyclane 261 formation, followed by secondary photolytic ring-opening. Other research has shown that irradiation of the oxanorbomadiene 262 follows the same reaction mode and it undergoes (2 + 2)-cycloaddition to the quadricyclane derivative 263. Apparently, in this instance, cycloreversion affords the ylide 264 that can be trapped by suitable addends, giving the adducts illustrated in Scheme 3139. 

Patents covering the photocyclization of the norbornadienes (169) and (170)100 corresponding quadricyclanes (171a) and (171b) have been... 

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