Photo-induced Transformation of Polyalkylbenzyl Thiocyanates into Polyalkylbenzyl Isothiocyanates. A Synthesis of Some Bis- and Tris(isothiocyanatomethyl)polymethylbenzenes by Multiple Thiocyanate Isomerization

Abstract Polyalkylbenzyl thiocyanates, upon irradiation in acetic acid, readily undergo reversible photoisomerization, giving an equilibrium mixture composed mostly of the corresponding isothiocyanates. Several new bis- and tris(isothiocyanatomethyl)polymethylbenzenes have been prepared by utilizing the photoinduced multiple thiocyanate isomerization.