Chemistry Letters, Vol.32, No.10, 978-979, 2003
Solvent-dependent cis-trans photoisomerization of p-methoxy-p'-nitro-substituted trans,trans,trans-1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene
Irradiation of p-methoxy-p'-nitro-substituted 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene induced trans, trans, trans --> cis, trans, trans (ttt --> ctt) isomerization in toluene, whereas in acetonitrile inefficient ttt --> ctt, tct isomerization was observed. The results are explained in terms of weakly polar nature of twisted excited states.