Chapter 5: Oxygen-containing functions

This chapter deals mainly with the photochemistry of carbonyl compounds, although it also covers the photoreactions of other oxygen-containing functions. The time coverage in the present volume is 2012–2013. In general, only original research articles reporting experimental findings are quoted; literature reviews or purely theoretical calculations are not included, unless they contribute to a significant advancement in the mechanistic understanding of the reactions. In addition to product studies, mechanistic evidence based on direct experimental detection of the intermediates, such as transient absorption spectroscopy or related techniques, is also considered. As in previous years, the material is organised according to the classical types of reactions (e.g., Norrish I/II, hydrogen abstraction, Paternò–Büchi, photo-Fries, etc.). Within each section, presentation of the basic photochemical aspects is followed by the synthetic applications (including stereoselectivity), the photoreactivity in anisotropic media, such as (micro)heterogeneous or supramolecular systems, solid matrixes or fully organised crystals and finally by the technological and biological applications.