Photodissociation of aromatic azides

Quantitative data on the photochemical activity of aromatic azides and on the mechanism and kinetics of azido group photodissociation are analysed and described systematically for the first time. The results of quantum chemical calculations of the azide structure in the ground and lower electronically excited states and the potential energy surfaces along the reaction coordinate of the N–N₂ bond dissociation are considered.