Direct photolysis of styrene glycol sulfite (SGS) yields phenylacetaldehyde (PA) as its primary photoproduct with no styrene oxide (SO) formation observed, in contrast to styrene glycol carbonate (SGC) which gives a mixture of SO and PA though both were believed to involve the same diradical as that formed in the irradiation of SO.  which proceeds via 1,2-H migration to form PA or ring-closure to reform SO.  Photolysis of the sulfite (SGS) follows a different pathway possibly crossing to the S1 surface prior to loss of SO2 as indicated by lack of SO formation. A qualitative survey of the topologies of the S1/S0 surfaces involved in the photolysis of SO, SGC, and SGS was conducted via CASSCF modeling which is correlated with experimental results to help generate a fuller picture of the relationship of the photochemistry of SO, SGC, and SGS.

Photolytic study of styrene glycol sulfite: Experimental and computational comparison to styrene glycol carbonate and styrene oxide photochemistry

245th National Meeting (2013)

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