The photochemistry of di-tert-butylselenoketone 1 and selenofenchone 2 has been examined. Their photochemical properties resemble those of thioketones rather than ketones in that hydrogen abstraction occurs from an upper excited state and not from the lowest (n→ π*) excited state. Di-tert-butylselenoketone, 1, on irradiation into the S 2 band forms the diselenide 3. The quantum yield for this process was found to be 0.0055 and ...
