Effect of an extra chloro substituent on photochemistry of o-alkylphenacyl chloride

The title compound, α,α-dichloro-o-methylacetophenone, was prepared and its photochemical behavior was investigated. Addition of an extra chlorine at alpha position to the carbonyl showed many different features from photochemical reactivities of mono chloro analogue, 2,5-dimethylphenacyl chloride. In benzene, a rearrangement product with a formal 1,5-Cl shift and a reduction product were formed beside indanone. In methanol, solvolysis and cyclization of a common dienol intermediate occurred at comparable reaction rates.