Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1989, 54, 2171-2175
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19892171

An efficient photochemical formation of phenoxazine and phenothiazine from their respective cyclopentadienyliron complexes

Andrzej Maciejewskia, Anna Jaworska-Augustyniaka, Dariusz Radockia, Ronald G. Sutherlandb and Adam Piórkob

a Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, 60-780 Poznań, Poland
b Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada S7 A OWO

Abstract

The photochemical liberation of phenoxazine and phenothiazine from their cyclopentadienyliron complexes was studied in THF, methanol and dimethylsulfoxide. Quantum yields of decay of the complexes and the formation of free heterocycles have been determined to be about 1.0, independent of solvent, concentration and wavelength of light used. The ease of isolation of free heterocycles after photolysis show that this efficient way of heterocycle recovery is superior to the previously utilized pyrolytic sublimation.