Photolysis of Di-t-butylnitroxide

Abstract

Di-t-butylnitroxide (1) on photolysis in methylcyclohexane gives in addition to t-butoxy(di-t-buty1)-amine (7) and photolabile 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (2) a low yield of a white crystalline solid identified as a mixture of di-t-butylhydroxylammonium nitrate (13) and nitrite (14). Photolysis proceeds from the excited state produced by a π-π* transition, and in aerated solution is first order both with respect to nitroxide and light intensity. More complex kinetics are observed in deaerated solution.