Direct irradiation of carbonyl compounds such as some aldehydes, ketones and anthraquinone in N,N-dimethylamiline(DMA), without using other solvents, gave b-hydroxyamines as the major products.
Irradiation of anthrone and DMA in methanol afforded g-hydroxyamine.
The structure of the photoproduct was confirmed by treatment with an acid to give a bicyclic compound.