(If) gave only the bis lactone 10a (72-75%) under direct photolysis. The bis lactones loa-c and the rearranged 5-benzyl-3, 5-diaryl-2 (5H)-furanones 9a-d were the major products in the course of sensitized irradiation of la-d in the presence of acetophenone in benzene. The thermolysis of la-d also led to the formation of the rearrangement products 9a-d in high yields (6040%). Possible mechanisms of these various photochemical and thermal ...