title: The photodimerisation of the alpha- and beta-forms of trans-cinnamic acid: a study of single crystals by vibrational microspectroscopy.
abstract: Infrared and Raman microspectroscopy have been used to follow the photodimerisation reactions of single crystals, the alpha- and beta-forms of trans-cinnamic acid. This approach allows the starting materials and products-alpha-truxillic acid that has Ci symmetry and beta-truxinic acid, which has Cs symmetry-to be identified. It also allows the topotactic nature of the reaction to be confirmed. Attempts to produce the poorly-defined unreactive gamma-form of trans-cinnamic acid resulted only in a mixture of the alpha- and beta-forms. The findings suggest a wide role for these spectroscopic methods in monitoring solid-state organic reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG66AD, Whiteknights, UK.
authors.forename: Samantha D M
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Almond
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hollins
authors.forename: Samantha L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D002934:Cinnamates / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D019281:Dimerization; D010777:Photochemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D002934:Cinnamates; C029010:cinnamic acid