Photoinduced C-Br homolysis of 2-bromobenzophenones and Pschorr ring closure of 2-aroylaryl radicals to fluorenones.

A variety of diversely substituted 2-aroylaryl radicals, generated by photoinduced homolysis of 2-bromoarylketones, is shown to undergo Pschorr cyclization to yield fluorenones in moderate to excellent yields. The photochemical results illustrate that the substituents in the two phenyl rings of the 2-bromobenzophenone skeleton exert a dramatic influence on the reactivity of the derived 2-aroylaryl radicals. The disubstitution by methoxy groups in the radical ring renders the aryl sigma-radical highly electrophilic and unreactive for hydrogen abstraction and cyclization. On the other hand, the substituents in the non-radical ring that strongly stabilize the hydrofluorenyl pi-radical, formed subsequent to the attack of the 2-aroylaryl radical on the non-radical ring, promote cyclization to furnish fluorenones in excellent isolated yields.