The Role of Aroyloxyl Radicals in the Formation of Solvent-derived Products in Photodecomposition of Diaroyl Peroxides. The Reactivity of Substituted Cyclohexadienyl Radicals and Intermediacy of ipso Intermediates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.58.688

Photolyses of bis(2-thiophenecarbonyl)peroxide (TPO) in benzene and toluene afforded, among free-radical products, biphenyl and dimethylbiphenyls, respectively, which were solely derived from the aromatic solvents.The yields of biphenyls depended upon the rate with which the radical intermediates were generated from the peroxides in sufficiently high concentrations for their dimerization.Photolyses of TPO and dibenzoyl peroxide in 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene afforded also a solvent-derived products, 2,3',4,5',6-pentamethyldiphenylmethane.Its formation provides clear evidence for participation of cyclohexadienyl radicals bearing the aroyloxyl group on the methyl-substituted ipso carbon atom.