Photochemical Reactions in the Interior of a Zeolite. Part 5: The Origin of the Zeolite Induced Regioselectivity in the Singlet Oxygen Ene Reaction

Photooxidations of several new alkenes in the interior of methylene blue doped NaY are reported. The results suggest that the novel regiochemistry of these reactions can be rationalized by invoking both cation complexation with the alkenes and electrostatic interaction between the cation and the pendant oxygen on the developing perepoxide.