Photochemical transformations of exo-2,3-norbornene oxide radical cations in the CF3CCl3 matrix at 77K

The structure and nature of the underlying photochemical transformations of radical cations formed upon irradiation of exo-2,3-norbornene oxide solutions in a CF₃CCl₃ matrix at 77K have been established using electron paramagnetic resonance and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy as well as quantum chemical calculations. For photochemical reactions proceeding in this system, a mechanism has been proposed, which consists in the transformation of the initially formed ring-open radical cation into a ring-closed C-centered radical cation, followed by photoelimination of H₂.