Photochemical rearrangement of benzylenol ethers

Abstract

Evidence is presented for the structures of the products isolated from the light-induced rearrangement of benzylenol ethers of Δ⁴-3-oxo-steroids. The products obtained on irradiation of benzyl vinyl ether indicate that the rearrangement proceeds by homolysis of the benzyl-oxygen bond. Nuclear magnetic resonance evidence is presented for the existence of an internal phenyl-ketone interaction in compound (X).