Photolysis of sodium anthracene-9-sulphonate (1a) gave 9,10-anthraquinone (5a)via the 9-anthrol anion (3a) by desulphonylation (–SO2; via the n-π* state) and anthracene (2a) by desulphonation (–SO3; via the π–π* state) in aqueous solution; in contrast, sodium naphthalene-1-sulphonate (1b) gave mainly binaphthyl (6b) by desulphonation under similar conditions.
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Izawa et al. (1976) studied this question.