Abstract The photochemical reactions of α, β-acetylenic ketones have been examined. Irradiation of 1-p-substituted phenyl-2-propyn-1-ones 2–4 in primary alcohols gave 2, 5- disubstituted furans 2a–4c. The formation of furans can be explained in terms of cyclization, followed by dehydration of the 1: 1-adduct of acetylenic ketone and alcohol, which was formed initially by hydrogen atom abstraction from alcohol by the excited acetylenic ...
