Efficient heterolytic photodecarboxylation of 6-coumarinylacetic acids
Abstract
A series of four 6-coumarinylacetic acids (1–4) was prepared and their photochemistry was investigated in neutral aqueous solution. All four derivatives undergo photodecarboxylation (PDC) under these conditions with very high efficiency (Φ = 0.50–0.83) to give arylmethyl products consistent with a mechanism involving carbanion reaction intermediates. Quenching studies indicate that PDC occurs from both singlet and triplet states. This work demonstrates that the coumarin chromophore is sufficiently electron-withdrawing in the excited state to promote carbanion-forming reactions.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies
Chemical Reactions and Mechanisms
Radical Photochemical Reactions
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Canadian Journal of Chemistry
- Volume
- 104
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 457–462
- Publication date
- 23 February 2026
- Language
- EN