The primary homolytic a-cleavage, and subsequent decarbonylation of the intermediate phenacyl radicals, have been studied for the type I photoreaction of a series of dibenzyl ketones, using the techniques of pulsed laser photolysis and photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP). Evidence for selective primary cleavage to produce the most stable radical pairs is obtained for unsymmetrical ketones. The absolute ...