PHOTOLYSIS OF ABIETIC ACID TO DEHYDROABIETIC ACID AND HYDROGEN

Abietic acid, which is the terpene acid component of natural colophony, was irradiated at above 300 nm in the presence of benzophenone and a colloidal platinum catalyst. The expected product of dehydroabietic acid was formed to the extent of 81 %, hydrogen generation occurred to a negligibly small amount. The hydrogen generation, even as a by-product of an aimed solar photochemical product, do not carry appreciable importance because the hydrogen yield is too low to have any value on use.