The photochemistry of lomefloxacin. An aromatic carbene as the key intermediate in both photodecomposition and photocarcinogenesis

Irradiation of the 6,8-difluoroquinolone antibiotic lomefloxacin causes selective heterolytic defluorination from position 8 and leads to products rationalized as arising from the cation either via nucleophile addition or intramolecular carbene C–H insertion and hydrogen transfer.