52002-91-2Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Photosensitized (electron transfer) carbon-carbon bond cleavage of radical cations: the 2-phenylethyl ether and acetal systems
Arnold, Donald R.,Lamont, Laurie J.
, p. 2119 - 2127 (2007/10/02)
The scope of the photosensitized (electron transfer) carbon-carbon bond cleavage involving radical cations has been defined for 2-phenylethyl ethers and acetals.The thresholds for reactivity of the monophenylethyl and gem-diphenylethyl derivatives are compared.While the radical cation of methyl 2,2-diphenylethyl ether (7) cleaves to give ultimately diphenylmethane (2) and dimethoxymethane (8), the radical cation of methyl 2-phenylethyl ether (9) was stable under these conditions.In contrast to the lack of reactivity of the radical cation of 9, the radical cations of methyl 2-phenyl-2-propyl ether (11), methyl 2-phenylcyclopentyl ether (13), and 2-phenylmethyl-1,3-dioxolane (16) cleave.Cleavage in the monophenylethyl series is limited to formation of a carbocation at least as stable as the secondary α-oxyalkyl or di-α-oxyalkyl.The basis for predicting this type of reactivity of radical cations is defined.The rate of carbon-carbon bond cleavage is increased the oxidation potential of the molecule, by decreasing the carbon-carbon bond strength, and (or) by decreasing the oxidation potential of that fragment that will become the carbocation.The results obtained from the reactions of 2-diphenylmethyl-1,3-dioxolane (14) and 2-phenylmethyl-1,3-dioxolane (16) cast doubt on the published oxidation potential for the 1,3-dioxolan-2-yl radical.Key words: photochemistry, radical cation, electron transfer, bond cleavage, radical.
