On ultraviolet irradiation of the cyclopent-Zenyl methyl1 ketones la-c at -5 4 " s t I 139", photo-CIDNP. effects of the starting ketones, the 1,3-acetyl shifted isomers (2), and radical disproportionation and corn bination products (4-7) were observed. These effects show a unique dependence (of the polarization phase on temperature which is a novel feature in photo-CIDNP. studies. The results of the investigation, which also included experiments using triplet quenchers, triplet sensitizers and radical scavengers, are ratilonalized in terms of Schemes 2 and 3.a-Cleavage is a major excited-state reaction of 1 a-c on direct irradiation.Temperature-activated a-cleavage (k:(t)) to the radical pair R . . R" and intersystem crossing (&) to the T, state are among the competing s, deactivation processes. The T, state in turn cleaves (kz2) to R.-R'3. A 'low-temperature range' with k& k,S ( t ) and a 'high-temperature range' with k,S ( t ) % kisc exhibiting preferential reactivity from the T, and S 1 states, respectively, can be defined for all three p , y-unsaturated ketones la-c.Introduction. -Most 8, y-unsaturated ketones predominantly undergo two characteristic photoreactions: an allylic 1,3-acyl shift on direct irradiation, and a triplet sensitized oxadi-n-methane rearrangement (Scheme These results clearly showed from the beginning that at least two excited states are reactive. It has been universally accepted that the oxadi-n-methane rearrangement occurs from the lowest-lying triplet (TJ, and that this state is predominantly 7z, n+& in nature3). The I) 2, 3, Present address: Wissenschaftliches Hauptlaboratorium WHZ, BASF AG, D-6700 Ludwigshafen. See 111 for comprehensive reviews of P,y-unsaturated ketone photochemistry, and 121 for a progress report on cyclopent-2-enyl methyl ketones. For experimental identifications of Tl(rc,rc*) as the oxadi-rc-methane-reactive state, see 13-51, 0018-019X/79/6/ 1952-14$01.00/0 0 1979 Schweizerische Chemische Gesellschaft 5b. .Y = H b , The denotations (a)-(e) refer to the signal assignments in Figure I . Cf: Figure I A . d)CJ Figure 1B. e, A=enhanced absorption, E=emission. Negligible CIDNP. effect. g) in CD30D at -54".