A solvent effect that influences the preparative utility of N-(silylakyl)phthalimide and N-(silylakyl)maleimide photochemistry

The photochemistry of selected N-silylalkyl-substituted phthalimides and maleimides is examined to analyze the generality and preparative consequences of a solvent effect on excited-state reaction chemoselectivities and quantum efficiencies. This solvent effect is observed in the photochemistry of N-((trimethylsilyl)butyl)phthalimide 10 and in the photochemistry of the N-silylpropyl-maleimide. The results show the generality of the solvent effect and how it can be applied to improve the preparative utility of the photochemistry of N-(silylalkyl)phthalimides and N-(silylalkyl)maleimides.