Photoinduced Molecular Rearrangements. The Photochemistry of Some 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles in the Presence of Nitrogen Nucleophiles. Formation of 1,2,4-Triazoles, Indazoles, and Benzimidazoles

The photochemistry of some 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-oxadiazoles in the presence of nitrogen nucleophiles [ external, such as added amines or hydrazines, or internal, such as an o -aminophenyl moiety at C(3) of the oxadiazole ring] has been investigated. In the irradiation of 5-amino-(or 5- N -substituted amino) 3-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles in the presence of aliphatic primary amines (or ammonia), photolytic species arising from heterolytic cleavage of the ring O−N bond capture the nucleophilic reagent to give open-chain intermediates, which develop into 1,2,4-triazolin-5-ones. Similarly, irradiations of 3,5-diphenyl-, 3-methoxy-5-phenyl-, and 5-methyl-3-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles gave 1,2,4-triazoles. In the same context, irradiations of representative substrates in the presence of hydrazines have been also investigated. In the irradiation of 3-( o -aminophenyl)-5-methyl-, 3-[ o -(methylamino)phenyl]-5-methyl-, and 3-( o -aminophenyl)-5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles, concomitant formation of indazoles and benzimidazoles, presumably arising from a common photolytic species, has been observed. Some mechanistic aspects have been considered, and possible applications in synthesis have been pointed out.