Cation radicals: reaction of methoxylated benzil and bibenzyl derivatives with tris-(p-bromophenyl)ammoniumyl hexachloroantimonate
Abstract
Oxidation of 3,3′,4,4′-tetramethoxybibenzyl (IIIc) by tris-(p-bromopheny)ammoniumyl hexachloroantimonate (I) yielded 2,3,6,7-tetramethoxyphenanthrene as a major product. Isomeric tetramethoxybibenzyis and the corresponding benzils were largely unreactive. The reactions are thought to occur via initial formation of cation radicals and the results are compared with the fragmentation behaviour of molecular ions produced in mass spectrometry and by anodic oxidation.