Investigating the Photochemical Properties of an Arenyl Dienol

Upon irradiation with UV light, an arenyl dienol was transformed into linear and angular <i>meta</i> photocycloadducts and <i>ortho</i> derived photoadducts. Extended exposure to UV radiation resulted in the formation of other degradation products, which shed light on the chemical processes taking place. One of the linear <i>meta</i> photocycloadducts was thermally unstable and underwent further thermal and photochemical transformation, while the <i>ortho</i>-derived photocycloadducts ring-opened and eliminated methanol to afford a cyclooctadienone product