Photooxygenation zwitterionic intermediate

Possible side-reactions, such as the formation of allyl hydroperoxides from compounds having an allylic hydrogen (a competitive ene reaction Section 6.7.3) or 1,4-endoperoxides from 1,3-dienes, may be suppressed by changing the experimental conditions.1359,1438 For example, the extent of [2 + 2] and [4 + 2] photooxygenation in styrenes, such as the propenylanisole 522 (Scheme 6.253), is controlled by solvent polarity and pH, possibly due to protonation of a perepoxide/zwitterion intermediate.1421,1439 The [4 + 2] product 523 is preferentially produced in non-polar benzene or chloroform, whereas the 1,2-dioxetane 524 is almost exclusively formed in methanol or acidified non-polar solvents. 

A great deal of work has been focused on whether the ene reaction proceeds through a concerted or a stepwise mechanism. The initially proposed synchronous pathway was challenged by a biradical , zwitterionic or a perepoxide intermediate. Kinetic isotope effects in the photooxygenation of tetrasubstituted, trisubstituted and cis-disubstituted alkenes supported the irreversible formation of an intermediate perepoxide,... 

This process, formally related to the Diels Alder reaction, may also proceed by various mechanisms (Scheme 6.257)1421 1443 similar to those of [2 + 2] cycloaddition (Scheme 6.251), such as a concerted process or formation of charge-transfer (exciplex, 532), biradical (533), zwitterion (534) or perepoxide (535) intermediates. A concerted pathway1444 and exciplex1445 intermediacy was proposed to be involved in most cases. The [4 + 2] photooxygenation may be accompanied by other related processes (e.g. [2 + 2]). 

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