A novel photocycloaddition of substituted pyridines with benzofuran

Irradiation of a benzene solution containing 3-cyano-2-methoxypyridine (0.02 M) and benzofuran (0.5 M) resulted in the formation of stereo-isomeric 1:1 adducts, endo and exo-7-cyano-2-methoxy-4-methyl-9-oxa-3-aza-10,11-benzotricyclo[6. 3.0.04,7]undeca-2,5-diene, accompanied by 5-cyano-2-methoxypyridine and a pyridine dimer; the structures of the adducts were established by X-ray structural analyses.