The photochemical reactions of the halogenated N‐benzylanilines. Mechanism of the reactions

Abstract
Several N‐(2‐halobenzyl)anilines and N‐benzyl‐2‐haloanilines have been synthesized and their photochemical reactions studied. Upon irradiation, the aqueous acetonitrile solution of N‐benzyl‐2‐chloroaniline was cyclized and reduced to give phenanthridine, 5,5′,6,6′‐tetrahydro‐6,6′‐biphenanthridyl (THBP), N‐ben‐zylaniline, and bibenzyl. Similar products were produced in the photochemical reactions of other halo‐genated N‐benzylanilines, except iodo‐substituted N‐benzylanilines. No dimer (THBP) was produced from the iodo‐substituted N‐benzylanilines. Both singlet and triplet states are involved in the photochemical reactions of the haloarenes.