The bmzyl thiocyanates were chosen as first objects of study owing to their sluggish uncatalyzed thermal isomerizations6 and the resultant extensive decomposition prevalent at the required elevated temperatures. It was felt that their photoisomerizations might contrast this and proceed under considerably milder conditions. This indeed proved to bc so, as benzyl thiocyanate (la) in an oxygen-free acetonitrile solution at 25" isomerized in 1 hr to a ...
