Crystal engineering of photodimerizable cyclopentanones. Comparison of chloro and methyl substitution as solid-state steering groups

Abstract

The interchangability of chloro and methyl groups, insofar as solid-state structure and photoreactivity are concerned, is examined in a family of three pairs of closely related molecules derived from the same parent, 2-benzyl-5-benzylidenecyclopentanone. The expected behavior of two pairs (supporting the notion of interchangability) and the unexpected behavior of another are rationalized conformationally and crystallographically. © 1981 American Chemical Society.