Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026
![Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F60786.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions
Published on: July 17, 2020
Thiourea as a template for photodimerization of azastilbenes
Balakrishna R Bhogala1, Burjor Captain, Anand Parthasarathy
1Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA.
Abstract:
In this study we have explored the potential of thiourea (TU) as a template to preorient stilbazoles and bispyridylethylenes (azastilbenes) in the crystalline state. TU is able to preorient eleven azastilbenes toward dimerization in the crystalline state. While cocrystals of these eleven olefins photodimerized to a single dimer expected based on crystal packing, pure crystals of these olefins either were nonreactive or gave a mixture of dimers. The differential photobehavior of the pure crystals and cocrystals highlights the importance of TU in templating the olefins in a photoreactive orientation in the crystalline state. X-ray crystallographic and photochemical studies have identified a few azastilbenes that photodimerize in spite of not being arranged in an ideal orientation in the crystalline state. These as well as a few examples already reported in the literature suggest that it is important to recognize that molecules could experience large amplitude motions in the crystalline state, especially when energized by light. Short-term lattice instability caused by photoexcitation can be effective in driving a photochemical reaction. Thus one should view the crystalline arrangement of molecules upon light exposure as "dynamic" rather than "static" as determined from X-ray structure analysis.
Related Concept Videos
Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution: Fluorination and Iodination of Benzene
Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling
Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides
Preparation and Reactions of Thiols
Diazonium Group Substitution with Halogens and Cyanide: Sandmeyer and Schiemann Reactions
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...

