Direct observation of 1,2-hydrogen migration in the excited states of alkyl diazo esters by ultrafast time resolved IR spectroscopy.

The mechanism of 1,2-H migration process in photoexcited alkyl diazo esters was studied by femtosecond IR transient absorption spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Two possible processes are discussed: rearrangement in the diazo excited state (RIES) and the intermediacy of singlet carbene species. In chloroform solvent ulrafast IR data show a subpicosecond rise of alkene species indicating the occurrence of the RIES process. Failure in carbene species detection is explained by their absence or very low quantum yield of formation.