Photolysis of Aldrin in the Presence of Benzaldehyde in a Solid-Vapor-Air System

Abstract

Aldrin (1) was found to undergo epoxidation and isomerization, when irradiated at wavelengths longer than 290 nm in the presence of benzaldehyde in air, to give dieldrin (2) and photoaldrin (1, 1, 2, 3, 3a, 7a, -hexachloro-2, 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 6a, 7, 7a-octahydro-2, 4, 7-metheno-1H-cyclopenta[a]pentalene, 3), respectively, followed by isomerization or epoxidation, respectively, to afford photodieldrin (1, 1, 2, 3, 3a, 7a-hexachloro-5, 6-epoxy-decahydro-2, 4, 7-metheno-1H-cyclopenta[a]pentalene, 4) in each case. The predominant photo-products were the epoxides, 2 and 4. These photo-products were also formed when a mixture of 1 and benzaldehyde in air was exposed to sunlight.