Occurrence of Electron Transfer in the Reduction of Organic Halides by LiAlH4 and AlH3

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00193a019

A variety of methods have been utilized to detect the occurrence of a single electron transfer pathway in the reduction of alkyl halides by LiAlH4 and AlH3, i.e., (1) product studies of reduction of cyclizable alkyl halides containing the 5-hexenyl group, (2) trapping of intermediate radicals by dicyclohexylphosphine and other trapping agents, (3) direct EPR observation of the trityl radical in the reduction of trityl bromide, and (4) stereochemical studies of the reduction of secondary halides by lithium aluminum deuteride.The extent of electron transfer was found to be a function of the solvent, the substrate, the leaving group, and the hydride reagent.For alkyl iodides, and to a lesser extent bromides, electron transfer was found to be the major reaction pathway; however, no evidence for electron transfer was found for the corresponding chlorides or tosylates.Reduction of (+)-2-octyl iodide by LiAlD4 was found to be much less stereospecific than the corresponding reduction of bromide, chloride, or tosylate, indicating intermediate radical formation in the reduction of the secondary iodide.